Ali Ghandour

Education and early life

Ghandour grew up in Beirut, Lebanon where he spent most of his youth, he was admitted to IC, a private co-educational preparatory school to the American University of Beirut which he graduated from later with Aerospace engineering degree. he also went for further education at New York University - United States. Gandour went back to Lebanon in 1954 and joined the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority as an engineer and Head of aviation Safety.

Ghandour's political tendencies led him to join the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) whose members were chased after by the Lebanese government due to a failed coup which the party attempted in 1961. Despite the fact that Ghandour was in Paris on a training course during the coup, he was wanted by the Lebanese government and considered a fugitive. Thus, Gandour took refuge at Paris then Côte d'Ivoire which he left later to Kuwait.

Ghandour's refuge to Kuwait was accepted by the Kuwaiti authorities as long as no conviction was issued by the Lebanese government for his arrest. Ghandour remained and worked for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in Kuwait not long before a death sentence in absentia was issued by Lebanon which forced him to Leave immediately to Jordan.

Jordan

Ghandour and colleagues from the (SSNP) went to meet up with King Hussein to thank him for Jordan's acceptance of refuge. The meeting was Ghandour's life turning point when King Hussein asked him about his future plans to which Ghandour's intentions were to travel back to West Africa, King Hussein did not recommend Ghandour's plans, instead he offered him to remain in Jordan in order to establish a new national airline to which Ghandour accepted.

Gandour presented the Feasibility study to King Hussein which he liked and gave orders to commence the project backed up by a Royal decree in 1963 . A week later, a DCC plane were leased from Lebanese International Airways and were scheduled to fly to Jerusalem and Beirut. 2 more Dart Herald of Royal Jordanian Air Force were provided by King Hussein to convert into civilian planes for usage in the newly established airline.

Gandour's recommendation to name the new airline Royal Jordanian was approved by King Hussein, the name was also extended to ALIA after the king's eldest daughter Princess Alia. (It is a common misconception that the airline was named after the King's third wife, Queen Alia.

Career and positions held

Awards and decorations