Royal Jordanian (RJ) changed the route of its operations between Amman and Beirut this week to ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft, a statement by the airline said. The previous route, which used to take around one hour, passed over Syria, which has been trapped in a civil war since 2011. RJ President/Chief Executive Officer Amer Hadidi was quoted in the statement as saying that flights from Amman to Beirut now head to southern Jordan, into Egyptian airspace and then over the Mediterranean Sea before landing in Beirut. He indicated that as a result, the duration of the Amman-Beirut flight increased to one hour and 45 minutes, both ways. Hadidi added that this move is a result of the airline’s “commitment to the safety of its passengers and security of its operations, even though this procedure involves incurring additional costs. From The Jordan Times