Royal Jordanian, the flag carrier of the Kingdom, celebrated its 50th anniversary in the presence of Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

During the visit to the RJ’s new premises, the king toured a photo exhibition depicting the carrier's development since its launch in 1963 and also viewed a model of a modern aircraft and its functions from take-off to landing, said a statement from the carrier.

A film was also screened about the development of RJ, which launched its maiden flight to Beirut, followed by other destinations across various continents.

“Through its glitter, RJ has become a real ambassador of the country and an embodiment of its bright image as it circled the world in its name,” the King wrote in the visitors' book.

During the ceremony, King Abdullah honored a number of staff members and ex-employees for their contributions to RJ, while he received a memento, a Boeing 787 yoke, from the Chairman Nasser Lozi.

He remarked that the company had grown and expanded through various stages of the kingdom's development and sought to promote the national values of a sense of belonging, maintaining traditions and hospitality.

President/CEO Amer Hadidi said that the airline has promising future plans including growing its fleet and increasing the destinations on its route network, adding that RJ will  receive its first 5 Boeing 787 aircraft in the second half of 2014.