Royal Jordanian Adds Toronto, Modifies Detroit

This seems to be a response to Turkish adding service to DTW. When is that supposed to start?

FYI - until 2010 or so Royal Jordanian served Detroit nonstop from Amman. Memory is a bit hazy as to whether it was nonstop year round or seasonally, but they definitely flew nonstop during several months of the year for years (I took it nonstop in 2010). So this is not new, but rather, a resumption of nonstop service they had operated in the past.

Cabotage?

The question is the YUL-YYZ segment for sale. That would make a very interesting hop.

I think cabotage is if you fly between two domestic airports on a foreign carrier connecting in a foreign airport without a long enough time in the connecting airport. I.e. Detroit to Montreal to Chicago on Air Canada with an hour layover on Montreal. If it was allowed for sale, i think YUL-DTW on RJ would have been fine

@David W

What you're referring to is called 6th freedom.
What I'm referring to is called 8th freedom.

Both are cabotage.

As an employee of another carrier at DTW I can add that Royal Jordanian has operated NONSTOP to AMM most every summer. Usually 2X weekly during the 2010’s increasing to 3X weekly in 2019. Winter ops always via Montreal. The only real news for this summer 2022 is the 4X weekly frequency. The most ever.

"I think cabotage is if you fly between two domestic airports on a foreign carrier connecting in a foreign airport without a long enough time in the connecting airport."

There are 3 forms of cabotage recognized by the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. What you described is known as using a "6th freedom of the air," or indirect cabotage.

There's also standalone cabotage (9th freedom) which is non-domestic carrier offering pax service completely within a foreign market, and consecutive cabotage (8th freedom) where a carrier flies internationally to one market but continues the same flight service to a domestic destination with carriage rights afterwards.

More direct flights between North America and Amman sounds great to me! My college-aged daughter is headed to Amman this summer.

We are currently trying to decide between direct on United from DC to Amman or direct on Royal Jordanian from NYC to Amman. (We live much closer to DC, but the DC to Amman flight looks like it is only direct certain days of the week which adds a minor wrinkle.)

Brian, I too work at DTW and RJ is getting rid of the Montreal-Detroit completely completely and making DTW service non stop year round and this is huge. It is also to increase service to the U.S. and compete with United’s new service to AMM as it will be direct completion for North American flight to AMM.

Dated biz class, poor service and bad food in all cabins. Really cheap fares make the flight bearable. UGH!!!!

so do you clear CBSA in Montreal or Toronto? 1 hour doesn't seem like enough time.

Not sure I understand why that’s a wrinkle. Just pick the best flight for the day you want to fly.

That said, United does not fly to Amman.

I’ve only flown them once ORD/AMM but had a great flight. I still prefer what many called ‘dated’ biz class layout vs the ‘in vogue’ coffins.

Detroit is such a dead-end for Oneworld connections I assume it's a demographic demand for that route. I'd rather they put more frequency into ORD.

United will start direct flights from DC to Amman on May 5, 2022.

United will start flying to Amman on May 5, 2022. Hence the comment about deciding on a flight this summer.

Any word on when Turkish will begin flying to Detroit? It seems like they’ve completely forgotten about it since announcing it.

While I agree that the hard-product is dated, the soft product (in particular food) is excellent.

Yes, that's what I'm seeing too!

Since my daughter is traveling for an academic program--an Arabic Summer Intensive--she has to be there by a specific day for orientation, but we will just have her get there a day early. Booked a long-term AirBnB, so all the pieces of her trip are coming together!

Michigan has one of the largest and oldest Arab-American communities in the US — about double that in Illinois. Only CA is larger, IIRC. There's also a reasonably large South Asian population.

That's amazing. The Montreal trip to Detroit is dreadful especially when you can't get it of the plane. Especially in winter the flight gays delayed in Montreal for to the wings freezing. This direct route from Detroit to Amman is amazing

Montreal Trudeau is positioning itself as a link to the middle east and also has a substantial Arabic community, all positive to enhance a true hub.

I am flying this route (YYZ/YUL/AMM) in the fall. Does anyone know if passengers boarding in Toronto have to deplane in Montreal for the layover? Thanks for any advice!