His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday attended a ceremony organised by Royal Jordanian (RJ) to mark the 50th anniversary of its launch as the national carrier.

During his visit to RJ’s new headquarters in Amman, King Abdullah toured a photography exhibition showcasing the national carrier’s history and watched a film documenting RJ’s evolution since its first flight took off to Beirut on December 15, 1963.

His Majesty extended his sincere congratulations to the RJ team, commending their distinguished efforts over the past 50 years, which contributed immensely to the improvement of the national airways.

The King also wrote a note in the visitors’ register, expressing pride in the national airlines, which he described as the Kingdom’s ambassador worldwide.

His Majesty was presented a Boeing 787 Dreamliner control panel model by RJ’s Chairman of the Board of Directors Nasser Lozi.

During the ceremony, which was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Feisal bin Al Hussein and senior officials, the King honoured a number of RJ’s serving and retired employees in recognition of their efforts.

In a speech at the ceremony, Lozi said that the golden jubilee of RJ reflected its ancient history and the ability of its staff to build a deeply rooted national carrier with branches spread worldwide, explaining that the RJ has witnessed rapid growth in line with the Kingdom’s developments in all walks of life.