Rayani Airlines has launched Malaysia’s first sharia-compliant airline using a Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The carrier – a JV between Malaysia-based resources companies Merdeka Jayabumi Enterprise and Terus Maju Metal – started operations with a Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2)-Langkawi flight on December 20, 2015. The carrier will use two 737-400s to serve initial destinations of Kota Bharu, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in addition to KLIA2 from its Langkawi base, but is looking to expand. The airline has based its operations on the west coast Malaysian island of Langkawi, which was recently selected by AirAsia as its latest regional hub. Rayani Air originally targeted Melaka International Airport in south Malaysia as its base, but decided on the move to Langkawi following an assessment of parking slot availability for its Boeing fleet.
