US-based inflight duty free and travel retailer, DFASS Group, has tied up with Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) to launch an on-board programme.

Jordan’s flag carrier – a member of the Oneworld alliance– has been undergoing a far-reaching restructuring following a net loss of JOD39.6m/$56m in 2014 which the company turned to a profit of JOD16m/$22.6m in 2015.

However the airline – based at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport – is still reviewing its route network and reducing operating costs. RJ has shut down a number of stations [Delhi, Mumbai, Colombo, Lagos, Accra, Milan, Alexandria and Al-Ain] due to their weak economic feasibility and, consequently, reduced the number of its aircraft.

The carrier has also had to halt flights to eight destinations for security reasons: Damascus, Aleppo, Mosul, Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, Sanaa and Aden, but it has launched new destinations such as Tabuk, Najaf, Ankara, Jakarta and Guangzhou, the latter launching next week. Royal Jordanian currently flies to 56 destinations.

Klepach is pleased to relaunch RJ’s inflight programme.

‘RIGOROUS RFP’

According to DFASS, the company was selected by RJ “following a rigorous RFP process whereby numerous factors were evaluated including information technology, creative sales/marketing plans, and access to prestige products, as well as a global operational infrastructure”.

Benny Klepach, CEO of DFASS Group, comments: “Royal Jordanian Airlines is an important partner and we are pleased to relaunch its inflight duty free sales.” Saul Hyatt, President and COO of DFASS Americas – EMEA, adds: “DFASS has developed strategic sales and marketing plans that have identified areas of tremendous opportunity for our customers.”