Malaysia’s first shariah airline is called Rayani Air

Metro.co.uk - Malaysia’s first shariah airline began operations on Sunday, with its maiden flight from the capital to the resort island of Langkawi.

Not to be confused with Ryanair, Rayani Air has a tasteful green and black colour scheme and focuses on piety.

On the new airline, female Muslim flight crew must wear a hijab while non-Muslims must be decently dressed, managing director Jaafar Zamhari told reporters.

Alcohol on board will be strictly banned, and all in-flight meals will be halal.

There will be prayer recitals before take-off to ensure the safety of staff and passengers on the flight.

‘We are the first Malaysian airline to be shariah-compliant based on guidelines by relevant authorities. We are proud of this,’ Jaffar was quoted as saying by The Star newspaper.

Shariah is Islamic law and under the concept of halal – meaning ‘permissible’ in Arabic – pork and its by-products, alcohol and animals not slaughtered according to Islamic procedures are all forbidden.

There are already other shariah-friendly carriers operating around the world, and UK-based Firnas Airways is planning to offer similar flights next year, according to a Bloomberg new agency report.

A company recently introduced halal bottled mineral water in Malaysia, and Islamic speed dating sessions – where single women are chaperoned – have been embraced.

A halal convention in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year, which drew thousands of delegates and hundreds of exhibitors, showcased products ranging from food and cosmetics to collagen produced from yaks in Tibet.