Malaysia’s first halal airline plans comeback focusing Hajj, Umrah

Dhaka: Rayani Air is preparing to return to Malaysia’s aviation market nearly a decade after its operations were suspended, this time with a narrower focus on Muslim pilgrimage travel.

The airline plans to relaunch as Rayani Air 2.0 HALAL, targeting Hajj and Umrah charter services with an Airbus A330-300 expected to enter its fleet in 2027.

The proposed model differs sharply from the carrier’s previous operation. Rayani Air began scheduled domestic flights in 2015 but stopped flying in 2016 after Malaysia’s aviation regulator suspended its Air Operator Certificate over safety and operational concerns.

Rather than compete across regular passenger routes, the revived airline intends to concentrate on pilgrimage charters, where demand follows established Hajj and Umrah travel cycles.

That strategy would put Rayani Air 2.0 in competition with Amal, the pilgrimage-focused arm of Malaysia Airlines. Amal operates widebody aircraft and benefits from Malaysia Airlines’ established network and relationships with pilgrimage agencies.

Rayani Air has yet to secure the regulatory approvals needed for its return, making its proposed 2027 launch subject to certification and other requirements.

The original carrier gained attention for its halal-focused onboard policies, including no alcohol or pork and religious programming.

Neither the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia nor Lembaga Tabung Haji had publicly commented on the proposed relaunch at the time of publication.