Malaysia\u2019s first Islamically observant airline began operations on Sunday, with its maiden flight from the capital to the resort island of Langkawi.
\nNot to be confused with Ryanair, Rayani Air has a tasteful green and black colour scheme and focuses on piety.
\nOn the new airline, female Muslim flight crew must wear a hijab while non-Muslims must be decently dressed, managing director Jaafar Zamhari told reporters.
\nAlcohol on board will be strictly banned, and all in-flight meals will be halal.
\nThere will be prayer recitals before take-off to ensure the safety of staff and passengers on the flight.
\nFor many practising Muslims, having airlines that understand the lifestyle, behaviour and specific needs of the Muslim traveler has been a challenge. Both Rayani Air and Firnas hope to target this sector.
\nAccording to a report in Bloomberg, a UK based startup airline company Firnas Airways will also target its service to London based Muslims who are seeking an airlines that serves their religious needs.
\nFirnas Airways hopes to begin operations next year with services to South Asia, where it will also compete with carriers including Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. and Pakistan International Airways Corp. Other prospective markets include Saudi Arabia and Iran.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re going to have a better-than-economy-class offering at an economy rate,\u201d Firnas planning chief Abdul Roqueb said in an interview to Bloomberg,\u201d adding that incumbents have been \u201cmilking\u201d the market amid a lack of competition. \u201cWith a higher seat count revenue is higher, so there\u2019s leverage to throw in perks.\u201d
\nThese perks are reference to the Boeing Co. 767 jets in a single-class, with a 270-seat layout featuring larger-sized 20-inch-wide berths with a 36-inch pitch, Wi-Fi and a tablet based entertainment system. It will also be alcohol-free, serve halal meat, use interest-free finance and offer a staggered cabin layout to enhance privacy.
\nFirnas, was ounded by Bangladeshi businessman Kazi Shafiqur Rahman, who made his money selling Arabian perfumes in the U.K., and is named after the famed Moorish inventor Abbas Ibn Firnas, who experimented with human flight in Ronda, Spain, 1,000 years before the Wright brothers.<\/p>\n
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