Hindu couple launches Malaysia's 1st Islamic airline; 5 interesting things to know

Kuala Lumpur: In a first and rare display of communal harmony, an ethnic Indian Hindu couple has launched the Malaysia's first Islamic airline - Rayani Air.

Here are five interesting things to know about the services of the country's first Islamic airline:-

1)- The airline offers Shariah compliant services including prayers before take-off, no on-flight serving of alcohol or meals with pork and a strict dress code for female flight attendants. 

2)- The passengers of all faiths would be welcome on the flights although the airline is primarily eyeing the Muslim market. 

3)- Muslim crew members will be obliged to cover their heads and non-Muslim members of the crew are required to dress decently in accordance to Shariah requirements. 

4)- The airline has hired 350 staff including eight pilots and 50 cabin crew and would fly five times a week between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, at a distance of some 410 kilometers. 

5)- Flight operations will be expanded to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu next year. Also, international flights to Indonesia and the Philippines will be added at later.

Malaysia is a Muslim-majority country with Muslims constituting about 60 per cent of the country's 30 million people. The country also has a sizable ethnic Indian community, majority of them Hindus, forming about 6.3 per cent of the total population.