Royal Jordanian Crown Class Bangkok-Amman v.v. - very extensive
Feb 19, 2005, 3:23 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Royal Jordanian Crown Class Bangkok-Amman v.v. - very extensive
In January I took a trip from Bangkok-Amman v.v on Royal Jordanian with my family (connecting from a BA flight from Sydney). Here is the report. Sorry for the length in advance.
4th January 2005
RJ/TG 0185
Dep Bangkok 0015 (0045)
Arr Amman 0500 (0535)
Airbus 340-200
Seat 3A;3B;3C; 3G
Transfer at the Royal Jordanian transfer desk was seamless. RJ/Jordanian Government employ a rep at the transfer desk to oversee flight transfers which is a nice touch. Within minutes a boarding pass was presented together with a pass to access the Royal orchid or Thai Excecutive Lounge.
As the flight was departing Gate 41 I used the Thai Executive Lounge near Gate 41. The lounge is a big disappointment despite the large windows. Food selection was mediocre with food not being replaced, the seats were rather uncomfortable and there was little in the technical area (only one tv and broken computers). I just got a drink and headed to the duty free area as I was quite full from the assortment of food on the BA flight to Bangkok.
Boarding began around 0010 as the flight only displayed on the screen around this time. Economy Class passengers were already boarded before Crown Class passengers boarded which is good in a sense.
Prior to take-off some drinks were served, coats taken and menus and amentity gifts presented. The drinks before take-off included water, orange juice and pepsi but no alcoholic beverages (btw RJ is not a dry airline).
The one negative of RJs Crown Class is their liberal policy with upgrades. They seemed to upgrade passengers at random to the Crown Class passengers which was dissapointing in a sense.
Shortly after take-off Apertifs and Nuts were offered followed by Dinner was which consisted of the following;
Appetisers
Prawn with Pomelo Salad
Smoked Salmon
Saffron Fennel
Seasonal Mixed Salad
The appetisers were all served together on one plate, with the salad in a seperate side dish. The trays were handed to passengers individually by the flight crew. Thec rew then came around offering two types of salad dressing of which I cannot recall.The Jordanian crew on this flight were very caring and professional especially the purser. The Thai crew member was abit lacking and seemed disinterested in her job.
After the Appetisers plates were presented for the main course. RJ serves the Main Course like how they used to in the olden days in First Class where you choose what you like and the crew presented it on a plate for you.
Main Courses
Beef Fillet Steak with Tomato Lemon Sauce
Rolled Duck with Pa-lo Sauce
Prawn with Fried Rice
Ravioli with Spinach and Tomato Sauce
Buttered Garden Vegetables
Duchess Potatoes
Steamed Basmati Rice
I chose the beef fillet with some duchess potatoes. The portions were generous and the food fresh and tasty. Western and Arabic Bread was offered. I also asked for a bit of duck and the crew gladly offered some to me though in the traditional style of Jordanian hospitality gave me a rather large portion which I wasn't able to finish.
Afterwards a trolley was rolled out with about 5 different cheeses and assorted fruit, followed by a trolley topped with a variety of assorted cakes. Despite being tempted by the array on offer, I didn't avail to the offerings.
The drinks selection on RJ is very extensive including orange, apple, mango, tomato and lemon juice, westerm soft drinks, non alcoholic and alcoholic beer and a variety of apertifs and liquers. The wine selection included a Jordanian White, a Jordanian Red (very good by the way), a French White and a French Red. The Champagne was Moet and Chandon.
The RJ Crown Class Seats on the A340 are very very comfortable and are in a sense the old-fashioned First Class seats on the Boeing 747-400. The seats are fully electronic and upholstered in red leather. The seats have an 83-inch seat pitch and wer every wide. The seats also reclined to 180 degrees. It was a very comfortable way to spend the nine hour fourty five minute flight into Amman.
After Dinner the cabin lights were dimmed, the crew offered blankets and pillows and most passengers reclined their seats and slept well into the flight. The entertainment selection on RJ isnt very tantalising, however a great Arabic Comedy for those who understand called Bye Bye London was very amusing.
The crew woke passengers about one hour out of Amman and offered a continental breakfast inclduing Croissants, Muffins, Fruits etc. together with beverages. After breakfast gifts were presented and passengers were offered a scented candle or a pen.
The flight landed in Amman at 0535 and Crown Class passengers disembark the aircraft first. When Crown Class passengers are lined up at immigration and passport control only then are economy passengers released from the aircraft.
We were out of Amman Airport by 6am and progressed to the city. Amman Airport is quite a dump and does not reflect an airline like Royal Jordanian.
27th January 2005
RJ/TG 180
Dep Amman 0015 (0230)
Arr Bangkok 1330 (1515)
Airbus 340-200
Seats 2A;2B;3A;3B
Royal Jordanian have a seperate check-in room at Amman Airport for Crown Class passengers. While going through formalities passengers can enjoy coffee etc before being whizzed through immigration. This is an excellent feature of the Crown Class product and something I havent seen adopted elsewhere in the world. We only checked in at midnight as we realised beforehand that the flight was delayed until 0230. A large Israeli group by-passed immigration and it turns out they were Bangkok bound. Most Economy Class passengers seem to check in at the City Terminal rather than at the Airport, and immigration is empty most of the time. They had to open a counter for us.
Amman Airport is rather unique in a sense. While non-smoking announcements ring through the airport, security guards continue to smoke despite the announcements.
After immigration we made our way to the Crown Class 'Petra' Lounge. For those of you not familiar with Amman airport the airport has two terminals linked by a Duty Free Shop. The terminals mirror one another even the other lounge. Jokingly when we visited the other lounge and enquired about the difference the attendant said jokingly "this ones called Jerash and the other one Petra"
The Crown Class lounges are reasonable for their size. They feature light snacks, a full bar, comfortable seating and some business facilities. The Petra lounge only contained Bangkok-bound passengers while the Jerash lounge contained Lufthansa's Frankfurt-bound passengers and New Delhi bound passengers.
At 0200 the attendant at the lounge made an announcement for passengers travelling to Bangkok. Economy Class passengers had already boarded. As we boarded the aircraft it turns out there were only 11 Paying Customers plus 3 RJ crew and no upgrades. This was better in a sense.
Coats were collected, Menus and amentity kits handed out and drinks offered (water, lemon juice, orange juice, pepsi). The crew members were very happy especially considering the delay and the time at which we were departing.
After take-off the crew jumped into the Dinner service to maximise rest time for passengers. A menu system was trialled vs the trolley system. The service seemed much more professional as a result. Options also were added to the menu from the outbound. The menu is as below
Appetisers and Salad
Smoked salmon Crepe
Italian Roast beef
Motabbal in a Tomato Crown garnished with lettuce, pickles, lemon slice and fennel
Hot Arabic Mezza
Beetroot Salad
All the appetisers were served on a plate following the same service procedure as on the outbound except for the Arabic mezza which was handed out by the crew as they came round upon request. The mezza options were Spinach Fatayer and Kibbeh which were as good as what youd get on the ground in Jordan. Dressings were offered as per usual including a Thousand Island and an Olive Oil one.
The crew members then took options for main courses and hand delivered them from the galley. The options are indicated below;
Main Courses
Traditional Beef Kebab cooked with Tomatoes and Potatoes
Served with Basmati Rice if required
Garnished with Tomato Concasse, pine nuts and parsley
Sauteed breast of chicken served on Couscous or Roasted Potato Slices
Coated with Avocado Sauce garnished with Red and Green Peppers
Grilled gulf hamour on a bed of Mushroom Risotto or Parsley Mash served with A chunky tomato concasse garnished with lemon slices and parsley
Healthy Option - Fettuccine in a creamy sauce with roasted vegetables
Garnished with Zucchini and Parmesan Cheese
Additional Vegetables upon request Green beans and Carrot Battons
I chose the Beef Kebab which was exceptional, with plenty of flavour and a very very generous portion.
Cheese and Fruit were offered as per usual followed by dessert, the option being Arabic Ice Cream, Mann Wa Alsalwa Torte and Fruit Bavarios
I chose the Arabic Ice Cream - excellent to say the least. its a Vanilla Ice Cream rolled with pistachios. To die for
After dinner I reclined my seat and woke up 55 minutes before arrival into Bangkok. I didnt avail into the Continental Breakfast options but the options were similar to the outbound with a few additional bread options.
On arrival into Bangkok there were about 5 RJ/Jordanian Government employed staff waiting at the gate. This is an excellent feature of RJs ground staff in foreign ports.
VERDICT
Royal Jordanian Crown Class offers an excellent product excelling in all areas except Entertainment. The crew are to be congratulated on reflecting true Jordanian hospitality. I reccommend you take a flight with Royal Jordanian. Their Crown (Business) Class matches and/or beats many of the leading airlines out there. It was a true Journey in Royalty
SCORES
Check-In/Transfer - 9/10
Lounge (Amman) - 6.5/10 (not CX or BA obviously)
Crew Efficiency - 9/10
Crew Hospitality - 10/10
Food and Beverage - 27.5/30
The Seat - 34/40 Privacy Hoods would be appreciated
Entertainment - 6/10 (no AVOD but some unique options)
TOTAL - 102/120 (85%)
Thanks for reading and once again, sorry for the length.
Platinum A332
4th January 2005
RJ/TG 0185
Dep Bangkok 0015 (0045)
Arr Amman 0500 (0535)
Airbus 340-200
Seat 3A;3B;3C; 3G
Transfer at the Royal Jordanian transfer desk was seamless. RJ/Jordanian Government employ a rep at the transfer desk to oversee flight transfers which is a nice touch. Within minutes a boarding pass was presented together with a pass to access the Royal orchid or Thai Excecutive Lounge.
As the flight was departing Gate 41 I used the Thai Executive Lounge near Gate 41. The lounge is a big disappointment despite the large windows. Food selection was mediocre with food not being replaced, the seats were rather uncomfortable and there was little in the technical area (only one tv and broken computers). I just got a drink and headed to the duty free area as I was quite full from the assortment of food on the BA flight to Bangkok.
Boarding began around 0010 as the flight only displayed on the screen around this time. Economy Class passengers were already boarded before Crown Class passengers boarded which is good in a sense.
Prior to take-off some drinks were served, coats taken and menus and amentity gifts presented. The drinks before take-off included water, orange juice and pepsi but no alcoholic beverages (btw RJ is not a dry airline).
The one negative of RJs Crown Class is their liberal policy with upgrades. They seemed to upgrade passengers at random to the Crown Class passengers which was dissapointing in a sense.
Shortly after take-off Apertifs and Nuts were offered followed by Dinner was which consisted of the following;
Appetisers
Prawn with Pomelo Salad
Smoked Salmon
Saffron Fennel
Seasonal Mixed Salad
The appetisers were all served together on one plate, with the salad in a seperate side dish. The trays were handed to passengers individually by the flight crew. Thec rew then came around offering two types of salad dressing of which I cannot recall.The Jordanian crew on this flight were very caring and professional especially the purser. The Thai crew member was abit lacking and seemed disinterested in her job.
After the Appetisers plates were presented for the main course. RJ serves the Main Course like how they used to in the olden days in First Class where you choose what you like and the crew presented it on a plate for you.
Main Courses
Beef Fillet Steak with Tomato Lemon Sauce
Rolled Duck with Pa-lo Sauce
Prawn with Fried Rice
Ravioli with Spinach and Tomato Sauce
Buttered Garden Vegetables
Duchess Potatoes
Steamed Basmati Rice
I chose the beef fillet with some duchess potatoes. The portions were generous and the food fresh and tasty. Western and Arabic Bread was offered. I also asked for a bit of duck and the crew gladly offered some to me though in the traditional style of Jordanian hospitality gave me a rather large portion which I wasn't able to finish.
Afterwards a trolley was rolled out with about 5 different cheeses and assorted fruit, followed by a trolley topped with a variety of assorted cakes. Despite being tempted by the array on offer, I didn't avail to the offerings.
The drinks selection on RJ is very extensive including orange, apple, mango, tomato and lemon juice, westerm soft drinks, non alcoholic and alcoholic beer and a variety of apertifs and liquers. The wine selection included a Jordanian White, a Jordanian Red (very good by the way), a French White and a French Red. The Champagne was Moet and Chandon.
The RJ Crown Class Seats on the A340 are very very comfortable and are in a sense the old-fashioned First Class seats on the Boeing 747-400. The seats are fully electronic and upholstered in red leather. The seats have an 83-inch seat pitch and wer every wide. The seats also reclined to 180 degrees. It was a very comfortable way to spend the nine hour fourty five minute flight into Amman.
After Dinner the cabin lights were dimmed, the crew offered blankets and pillows and most passengers reclined their seats and slept well into the flight. The entertainment selection on RJ isnt very tantalising, however a great Arabic Comedy for those who understand called Bye Bye London was very amusing.
The crew woke passengers about one hour out of Amman and offered a continental breakfast inclduing Croissants, Muffins, Fruits etc. together with beverages. After breakfast gifts were presented and passengers were offered a scented candle or a pen.
The flight landed in Amman at 0535 and Crown Class passengers disembark the aircraft first. When Crown Class passengers are lined up at immigration and passport control only then are economy passengers released from the aircraft.
We were out of Amman Airport by 6am and progressed to the city. Amman Airport is quite a dump and does not reflect an airline like Royal Jordanian.
27th January 2005
RJ/TG 180
Dep Amman 0015 (0230)
Arr Bangkok 1330 (1515)
Airbus 340-200
Seats 2A;2B;3A;3B
Royal Jordanian have a seperate check-in room at Amman Airport for Crown Class passengers. While going through formalities passengers can enjoy coffee etc before being whizzed through immigration. This is an excellent feature of the Crown Class product and something I havent seen adopted elsewhere in the world. We only checked in at midnight as we realised beforehand that the flight was delayed until 0230. A large Israeli group by-passed immigration and it turns out they were Bangkok bound. Most Economy Class passengers seem to check in at the City Terminal rather than at the Airport, and immigration is empty most of the time. They had to open a counter for us.
Amman Airport is rather unique in a sense. While non-smoking announcements ring through the airport, security guards continue to smoke despite the announcements.
After immigration we made our way to the Crown Class 'Petra' Lounge. For those of you not familiar with Amman airport the airport has two terminals linked by a Duty Free Shop. The terminals mirror one another even the other lounge. Jokingly when we visited the other lounge and enquired about the difference the attendant said jokingly "this ones called Jerash and the other one Petra"
The Crown Class lounges are reasonable for their size. They feature light snacks, a full bar, comfortable seating and some business facilities. The Petra lounge only contained Bangkok-bound passengers while the Jerash lounge contained Lufthansa's Frankfurt-bound passengers and New Delhi bound passengers.
At 0200 the attendant at the lounge made an announcement for passengers travelling to Bangkok. Economy Class passengers had already boarded. As we boarded the aircraft it turns out there were only 11 Paying Customers plus 3 RJ crew and no upgrades. This was better in a sense.
Coats were collected, Menus and amentity kits handed out and drinks offered (water, lemon juice, orange juice, pepsi). The crew members were very happy especially considering the delay and the time at which we were departing.
After take-off the crew jumped into the Dinner service to maximise rest time for passengers. A menu system was trialled vs the trolley system. The service seemed much more professional as a result. Options also were added to the menu from the outbound. The menu is as below
Appetisers and Salad
Smoked salmon Crepe
Italian Roast beef
Motabbal in a Tomato Crown garnished with lettuce, pickles, lemon slice and fennel
Hot Arabic Mezza
Beetroot Salad
All the appetisers were served on a plate following the same service procedure as on the outbound except for the Arabic mezza which was handed out by the crew as they came round upon request. The mezza options were Spinach Fatayer and Kibbeh which were as good as what youd get on the ground in Jordan. Dressings were offered as per usual including a Thousand Island and an Olive Oil one.
The crew members then took options for main courses and hand delivered them from the galley. The options are indicated below;
Main Courses
Traditional Beef Kebab cooked with Tomatoes and Potatoes
Served with Basmati Rice if required
Garnished with Tomato Concasse, pine nuts and parsley
Sauteed breast of chicken served on Couscous or Roasted Potato Slices
Coated with Avocado Sauce garnished with Red and Green Peppers
Grilled gulf hamour on a bed of Mushroom Risotto or Parsley Mash served with A chunky tomato concasse garnished with lemon slices and parsley
Healthy Option - Fettuccine in a creamy sauce with roasted vegetables
Garnished with Zucchini and Parmesan Cheese
Additional Vegetables upon request Green beans and Carrot Battons
I chose the Beef Kebab which was exceptional, with plenty of flavour and a very very generous portion.
Cheese and Fruit were offered as per usual followed by dessert, the option being Arabic Ice Cream, Mann Wa Alsalwa Torte and Fruit Bavarios
I chose the Arabic Ice Cream - excellent to say the least. its a Vanilla Ice Cream rolled with pistachios. To die for
After dinner I reclined my seat and woke up 55 minutes before arrival into Bangkok. I didnt avail into the Continental Breakfast options but the options were similar to the outbound with a few additional bread options.
On arrival into Bangkok there were about 5 RJ/Jordanian Government employed staff waiting at the gate. This is an excellent feature of RJs ground staff in foreign ports.
VERDICT
Royal Jordanian Crown Class offers an excellent product excelling in all areas except Entertainment. The crew are to be congratulated on reflecting true Jordanian hospitality. I reccommend you take a flight with Royal Jordanian. Their Crown (Business) Class matches and/or beats many of the leading airlines out there. It was a true Journey in Royalty
SCORES
Check-In/Transfer - 9/10
Lounge (Amman) - 6.5/10 (not CX or BA obviously)
Crew Efficiency - 9/10
Crew Hospitality - 10/10
Food and Beverage - 27.5/30
The Seat - 34/40 Privacy Hoods would be appreciated
Entertainment - 6/10 (no AVOD but some unique options)
TOTAL - 102/120 (85%)
Thanks for reading and once again, sorry for the length.
Platinum A332
Last edited by Platinum A332; Feb 19, 2005 at 3:47 am
Feb 19, 2005, 5:06 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Posts: 3,381
Many thanks for the report (it wasn't that long! trip reports can hardly be too long 
)
I flew Royal Jordanian from AMS to Yemen a few years back, with a stop in Amman, but that was in economy class. The flight from Europe was fine but boy did they put the poor Iraqis looking for work in Yemen in a ratty old airplane to get there!!
)I flew Royal Jordanian from AMS to Yemen a few years back, with a stop in Amman, but that was in economy class. The flight from Europe was fine but boy did they put the poor Iraqis looking for work in Yemen in a ratty old airplane to get there!!
Feb 19, 2005, 7:06 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Posts: 12,148
Thanks for this nicely written report on Royal Jordanian. I saw one of their planes in Chicago a couple of days ago. A beautiful aircraft.
Feb 19, 2005, 11:01 pm
#6
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
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Posts: 5,350
Great to read a report about a lesser known airline. I didn't realise RJ had any aircraft as big as A340s, or a true long haul network.
Anyway, thanks for a nicely written report with lots of detail - felt like I was right there with you, in a sense.
Anyway, thanks for a nicely written report with lots of detail - felt like I was right there with you, in a sense.
Feb 20, 2005, 12:20 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Brisbane (BNE), Australia, QF/VA Forums Meeting Organiser
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Platinum A332, great report on a little written about airline - like others, I like reading about the competition sometimes.
But what about the BA SYD/BKK/SYD sectors???
In January I took a trip from Bangkok-Amman v.v on Royal Jordanian with my family (connecting from a BA flight from Sydney). Here is the report.
Feb 20, 2005, 12:43 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Originally Posted by QF WP
Platinum A332, great report on a little written about airline - like others, I like reading about the competition sometimes.
But what about the BA SYD/BKK/SYD sectors???
But what about the BA SYD/BKK/SYD sectors???
Originally Posted by mad_atta
Great to read a report about a lesser known airline. I didn't realise RJ had any aircraft as big as A340s, or a true long haul network.
Anyway, thanks for a nicely written report with lots of detail - felt like I was right there with you, in a sense.
Anyway, thanks for a nicely written report with lots of detail - felt like I was right there with you, in a sense.
I didn't realise I said that infamous quote 5 times in my report.
RJs A340 fly to London daily, Bangkok 5 per week, Chicago 4 per week (2 operating AMM-ORD-DTW-AMM), Detroit 2 per week (operating AMM-ORD-DTW-AMM) and 4-5 weekly to New York depending on capacity. RJs network in the past did include Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Miami, Montreal, Toronto and Houston mainly for prestige reasons.
Last edited by Platinum A332; Feb 20, 2005 at 12:45 am
Feb 20, 2005, 12:57 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Brisbane (BNE), Australia, QF/VA Forums Meeting Organiser
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Posts: 6,519
Originally Posted by Platinum A332
I will write a report on them sometime this week. The BA flight was in First Class, and somehow I managed to get 4 F/C tickets for the family on the flights I wanted 6 months in advance using points. A steal if u ask me (maybe being a WP had a influence?). The interesting thing was I couldn't get tickets on QF 301/302 in any class but award seats were available in all classes when I chose BA 9/10.
Feb 20, 2005, 4:44 am
#10
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Posts: 5,350
Originally Posted by Platinum A332
I didn't realise I said that infamous quote 5 times in my report.
Your report piqued my curiosity and I looked up RJ on the skytrax site - some scary stories on there. Sounds like you struck a good crew. Those business class seats do look great though...
Mar 19, 2005, 3:11 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
I have heard bad things about RJ Economy Class. However I flew them once Bangkok-Amman v.v. and the seats had about as much space as Thai Airways, and the food was reasonable. There was a lack of Inflight Entertainment however with just the mainscreen. They aren't Singapore Airlines but I'd say they're Economy Class product is in the same league as Lufthansa.
QF WP, I have been very busy of late and havent had a chance to post the BA First Class report. Hopefully I will be able to post it this week unless other committments come up
Once again, thank you everyone for your comments.
QF WP, I have been very busy of late and havent had a chance to post the BA First Class report. Hopefully I will be able to post it this week unless other committments come up
Once again, thank you everyone for your comments.
Mar 19, 2005, 5:25 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,945
Originally Posted by Platinum A332
I chose the Arabic Ice Cream - excellent to say the least. its a Vanilla Ice Cream rolled with pistachios. To die for.
