The Second Worst Airline in the World

The second worst airline in the world according to the Daily Mail. This is not in defense of Royal Jordanian (RJ) but more of an attempt to understand; the AirHelp report (click here for the report) covers seventy two (72) airlines and RJ ranked seventy one (71). This is not a very flattering ranking but then the world has more than 72 airlines.

The rankings are based on:
1. On time Performance; RJ's score is 8.3 (83% on time performance);
2. Quality of Service; RJ's score is 6.3;
3. Claim Processing; RJ's score is 0.8.
For a total score of 5.13, the sad thing is that this ranking has deteriorated over the last year or so.

In Summer 2016  RJ ranked 48 out of 78 airlines with a score of 6.73 (7.3, 6.0 and 6.9)
In Autumn 2016 RJ ranked 59 out of 79 with a score of 6.33 (8.1, 6.0 and 4.9)
In Winter 2016/2017 RJ ranked 76 out of 87 with a score of 5.67 (8.0, 6.0 and 3.1)

From Summer 2016 to date RJ worked on improving on time performance and quality. However, Claims Processing went from 6.9 to 0.8 with a steady deterioration with every report. Either
AirHelp got it wrong or Royal Jordanian just became oblivious to passenger claims and complaints and just did not care. Following social media; complaints are on the rise and I am sure so are claims for compensation which appear to follow on deaf ears.

In 2017 the airline went on a social media blitz that earned it top awards and I am sure improved its brand recognition. In 2017 RJ leased an old beat up B737 to help with peak traffic which created a storm of complaints; which I am sure contributed to this (0.8) score. Well, in 2018 RJ did the same again showing complete insensitivity to their passengers views. I am sure whatever savings the airline is hoping to make will be offset by passengers choosing other carriers.


For AIRHELP AIRLINE SCORE METHODOLOGY (click here)

PaxEx on board Royal Jordanian Crown Class

I have flown on board RJ's B787 at least twice annually on the AMM-DTW vv sectors in Crown Class (Business) for the last few years and will probably continue for a few more years. For the sake of transperancy and full disclosure I am an ex RJ employee who happens to fly J class on subload basis.

Crown class on board the B787 compared to the competitors is pretty basic. The seats are comfortable and become fully flat. The stowage area near the seat is hard to get to as it lies behind the shoulder and is very cramped so not much can be stowed.

There is no WiFi so forget about the joys of connectivity for business or social media. IFE is not too bad, but very basic compared to the likes of Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways or THY. None of the latest movie releases are carried, but the selection is adequate for a twelve (12) hours flight.

The on board service was much better at the time the B787 was introduced. As the fortunes of RJ took a downturn so did the on board service. The quality and selection of the food has suffered. The on board service has become indifferent with the occasional flashes of enthusiasm, to put it mildly.

The cabin service lacks the discipline required to be a real competitive business class. The cabin crew are more engaged with their colleagues than with passengers.

As the financial position of the airline improves, hopefully so will the service.

Great to be back

It has been more than one year since I have written last and I miss it. In the meantime a lot of water has flown under many bridges.

The US3 vs the  ME3 dispute has been resolved with both sides claiming victory; but more of a win for the ME3. The Open Sky agreements have been reaffirmed with no changes to their basic elements. The only concession was that the ME3 will not exercise 5th freedom rights from Europe to the USA in the near future; an issue that affects only Emirates at this time. Emirates instead is planning a Barcelona to Mexico City flight which is stirring controversy in Mexico. The Tourism Ministry loves it and Aero Mexico wants to fight it, never a dull moment.

The electronic ban is over; airports are now doing more inspections on electronic equipment before USA and UK flights. However, ICAO and IATA are looking at a ban on having passengers carrying personal electronic devices carried in checked baggage.

Norwegian finally got the authority to operate to the USA and the sky did not fall and jobs were not lost.

Last but not least, BREXIT promises to wreak havoc not only with UK aviation but  the sector on a global level.

These and other regional issues will be touched upon in the near future.