Arab Airways Association

Arab Airways Association
Arab Airways Association was the full name of the first airline established in Amman Jordan. Or should I say Transjordan as it was called then.
It was the brainchild of my father, William Gerald Sanders, known to all as Sandy. He was a pilot in the RAF stationed in Amman Jordan at the end of the war in 1945, and he had already decided that Amman badly needed a small airline to linkup with the main airlines of the world in Beirut, Damascus and Cairo, as the only way in and out of Amman was across a very dusty dessert with no paved road. So before he was de-mobbed he visited some of the very wealthy Arabs in the town and put his idea before them. Obviously by this time my father had it all worked out including costs. As I recall, four Arabs put up the money and then they all went to see King Abdullah for his permission to go ahead. The king agreed. In fact he was quite excited with the idea.
In 1946 after 9 months of purchasing planes and spare parts, hiring crews etc., Arab Airways Association was born. Five Rapide aircraft flew from Gatwick airfield to Amman, Jordan (actually the country was still called Transjordan at that time).
The airfield at Amman under the control of the RAF was used for flights to and from Beirut, Damascus and Cairo. The airline operated until about 1951 as I recall, until dad decided that larger aircraft were needed. Then the original Arab backers were not willing to fund any further investment. Quite soon after this, Bilbeisi Pasha an influential and wealthy Arab came forward with the required funds. So Air Jordan was then born. Again my father came to the UK and purchased Dakota DC3 aircraft and had them flown to Amman. My father left Jordan in 1953. Further information can be found here. there is also some additional information here, with photos of the time.
Jean Sanders

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