Flying To The States
Ok, here’s another one of those “I’m disappointed in the Royal Jordanian experience posts.” Brace yourselves.
The first thing that I can’t understand is why RJ doesn’t start the pre-boarding process so that the flight can leave on time. This is my third trip with RJ to the States this year and they have departed over an hour late all three times! In fact, they don’t even let people proceed to the gate until 30 minutes before the plane is scheduled to take off! Then they have to screen all the passengers, intimately check every crevice of every bag, and finally everyone waits in the boarding area while people shove in line and kids cry and time ticks by.
If the plane is scheduled to leave at noon, it’s guaranteed that the flight won’t start boarding until 12:15 PM. They begin by commencing the boarding of the rear of the plane, but upon announcement, everyone dashes to the door like a herd of cattle. Is no one capable of being patient? How about listening…are they capable of that?
Finally the plane is loaded, complete with screaming kids and parents unwilling (or unable?) to shut them up. Impatient passengers are continuously ringing the bell to call the flight attendants. And wouldn’t you know it, but RJ can’t even manage to provide us with one of their new, souped up aircraft for the long, 12-hour, nonstop flight to New York.
The in-flight movies are still being projected up on a large, wobbly screens through a projectors that suffers from a green tint. And if, for some crazy reason, you didn’t care to watch the movie “The Santa Clause 3″, well you’re just out of luck!
On a positive note, the food was excellent…better than what I have had on previous flights. Both the beef and chicken meals seem to be improved, and the rice was missing a key spice that originally made it a bit too strong.
Here’s to hoping that my return flight in two weeks is much better. Generally the timeliness is better on the way back, due to American airports imposing stiff late departure fees. But it would also be nice to have a plane with personal entertainment systems, although you just end up sleeping the entire way back to Jordan, anyway.
Bilal - Black jack December 23rd, 2007 7:25 pm
RJ is the worst. I am coming to Amman from the USA this weekend, and I had no choice but to pick RJ because it was the cheapest fare and the only one direct to Amman non stop. I guess u get what u pay for.
I swear its like a “public transportation” bus. everything squeaks and shakes, kids crying everywhere, old TV sets, smelly seats that still have ashtray boxes and headphone jacks that need repair.
on any case, enjoy ur trip to the max. Its very cold in the states now so I hope u are already prepared!
Bon Voyage!
Ziad d December 23rd, 2007 11:33 pm
My prefered carrier has to be KLM. Although I lose a lot of time waiting for my connection in Europe I get the most comfortable seats and wonderful Dutch hospitality. I keep hoping that RJ gets better. I flew with them 14 years ago when I first came to the US and most recently on my last trip to Amman in August. There is a bit of improvement but not significant.
Merry Chirstmas and a happy New Year Dave! Keep posting! 
I think they ought to privitize the airline. More moneys can pour in to improve the carrier that way IMHO.
Hareega December 24th, 2007 3:23 am
Ziad D, I also enjoyed traveling with KLM to the US , except that they treated me like a terrorist until proven otherwise. They questioned me more than once about everything in my life, and that was just at the gate before boarding on to the plane!! Couldn’t believe that
Khaled December 24th, 2007 4:52 am
Have a Blessed Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones dear.
Ziad d December 24th, 2007 6:35 am
Sorry to hear that Fares. That can sour an experiance significantly.
Dave December 24th, 2007 10:19 am
Bilal, yeah, it does seem very much like public transportation. The only benefit at this time is the direct nature of the flight. It’s the fastest way to the States…until Delta opens their direct flight from Atlanta this next year, that is.
As for cold, I’m up in Pennsylvania at the moment, so I’m prepared.
Ziad, unfortunately, KLM no longer flies in and out of Amman (or so I’ve been told). I wouldn’t mind passing through Amsterdam on a layover, actually. As for privatization, RJ was privatized a few years back and has been making some significant improvements since then. But the transformation is slow.
Khaled, thanks a bunch.
kinzi December 25th, 2007 12:38 am
We are die-hard Lufthansa fans. Time-liness, alles in ordnung, great coffee, day hotel break in Frankfurt to see friends in the fuss-gangerzone.
“But it would also be nice to have a plane with personal entertainment systems, although you just end up sleeping the entire way back to Jordan, anyway”
You can sleep the whole way? Aren’t you traveling with kids?
May your next trip be better
masalha1 December 25th, 2007 7:28 am
Dave,
People been complaining about RJ for more than thirty years, I’m amazed this company still in business, they have to be the most chaotic airline on earth, privatizing wont change any thing unless they change the brain dead management.
Any way hope you have a wonderfull snowy merry christmas and a very happy new year.
MommaBean December 25th, 2007 10:39 pm
Ditto, ditto, and ditto. We all know what I think of RJ and my lackluster experiences. Although, for me one of the worst things is the pitiful flight attendants. Out of two roundtrip flights, the only decent ones I’ve ever gotten were all Thai. That was a good flight except for the awful guy with his family in front of me, whcih can happen on any airline. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and hav a smooth and uneventful flight home. Oh, and I had the personal entertainment system on my Air France flight a few weeks ago and it was AWESOME!
Deb December 27th, 2007 7:14 pm
I had my first experience with RJ airlines in October and November of this year. I missed my flight home to the US and had to rebook. I went into the office in Irbid, close to where I was staying, to pay for the penalty and confirm the rebooking for the following Friday.
I got to the airport on the morning the flight was departing and was told that I have not paid the penalty fee because I did not have an “mco number” or form. All I had was my credit card receipt and a printout from the ancient printer in the Irbid RJ office indicating my flight date and time. The RJ representative indicated that I would have to get this number to be checked in for the flight and maybe someone from the Amman airport sales window could help me. I went to the sales window and was told by the RJ rep there that he can’t take the fall for a screw up from the Irbid office and he would have to charge me again for the penalty fee. He said he has to cover his butt. I asked him if he could call the Irbid office and try to straighten this out for me and..very frustratingly he asked me if I have the phone number to the RJ Irbid office. I told him its “your offices”…you don’t have this number? He struggled looking around the desk in many papers looking for the number then I realized it was at the top of my credit card receipt for the penalty payment I already paid when I was there. I gave him the number and there was no answer in their office. I was charged the fee twice, just to make it home, one week late. I had to return to my job and responsibilities here and their blaise attitude was extremely frustrating!
Once I returned to the states I was just as (and still am) frustrated with the New York RJ office. I called their office because I was sure that they would be able to straighten the problem out with the extra fee being charged and would promptly deposit a refund into my account. WRONG! I submitted all the paperwork less than a week after my return on Nov 9 and I have yet to hear one word. I have left voice mails, no one ever answers the phones on their “Customer Relations” lines. I feel like I will probably never see the refund and this type of incident is totally unacceptable. I have travled all over the world and I have never had such complications as this. So, when I was checking out this blog I was not surprised to see this post! Does anyone out there know of a good quality airline to use from the Eastern US that has reasonable prices and sales? I am going to be doing a lot of traveling between Jordan and the US and I don’t want to keep having those experiences!!
My day in music: Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder January 6th, 2008 9:30 am
[...] this sexy (with the hot flight attendants and the security checks and all), I wouldn’t have anything to complain about. :D(I know 7aki Fadi wasn’t originally too keen on this song, but I find it to be [...]
JORAM January 9th, 2008 2:37 am
Good news to all US-JOR travellers; Delta airlines is starting non-stop service between JFK and Amman. The service is scheduled to start on 6/5/08. Now we have a choice and are not stuck with RJ.