AhlulBayt News Agency - After Rayani Air, a new Malaysian airline boasting Shariah-compliance is hoping to take to the skies this November promising a premier service that caters to the religious needs of its Muslim passengers.
While Rayani Air currently services domestic routes, Waqf Airlines is more specialised. The CEO of Waqf Airlines’ operator Air-Riths Sdn Bhd Datuk Rithsman Mohamed said the airline seeks to fly Muslim pilgrims heading to Islam’s holiest city, Mecca, as well as the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, at subsidised, and therefore, cheaper prices.
“Even though we are offering low pricing, Waqf Airlines is not a low-cost carrier. It is very vital to portray the image of Waqf as premier and very honourable and valuable in Islam.
“We are comparable with other premier airlines and, what more, we are flying people to perform one of the very important religious tasks,” the airline told Malay Mail Online in a recent email interview.
Rithsman also said Waqf Airlines aims to be the first local airline to be certified by religious authorities as Shariah-compliant.
“As you know like halal, they have one department to certify halal, same goes to Shariah compliant. Actually that is what we go through; we are being monitored by the Islamic council to get Shariah compliant (status). Shariah compliant (status), actually you cannot just simply use, because they have the guidelines,” he told Malay Mail Online.
For Waqf Airlines, Shariah compliance covers all aspects of its operations, from aboard the plane to its funding.
Its crew will don uniforms that meet both Islamic modesty standards and international safety standards, and its inflight food will, of course, be halal.
The airline said it will also provide knowledge about Islam and the Haj to its Muslim pilgrim passengers as part of its inflight infotainment.
An ustaz, or Islamic cleric, will be on board and provide a short tazkirah, or religious talk, during both the outbound and return flight.
Before takeoff, the flight captain will also lead passengers in a recitation of prayers for a safe journey; prayer times will also be announced on board and the plane may even provide a small space for passengers to perform their prayers — subject to safety requirements.
The airline conceded that “total segregation between men and women may not entirely possible on board of aircraft”, but it said it will prioritise seating family members together.
Beyond ensuring compliance in its flight operations, the airline said it will have a Shariah panel to advise and oversee its compliance with Islamic laws, including ensuring its funding sources are halal, which it said will be fulfilled through legitimate loans and waqf contributions.
The airline operator Air Riths is a 100 per cent Bumiputera and Muslim-owned incorporated company formed as a joint collaboration between the project brainchild’s Perbadanan Wakaf Selangor together with Eco Riths Travel and Tour Sdn Bhd.
Air Riths, which will be operating Waqf Airlines as a charter-type licence airline, has been given the power of attorney to collect waqf funds or charitable donations from the Selangor Islamic council’s subsidiary Perbadanan Wakaf Selangor to subsidise its operations.
Waqf Airlines said it has a strategy that not only offers cheaper fares to Muslim pilgrims, but plans to give away part of its proceeds to charity at the same time, and eventually, turn into a non-profit company while doing so.
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source : The Malay Mail
Monday
4 April 2016
9:21:59 AM
745031
After Rayani Air, a new Malaysian airline boasting Shariah-compliance is hoping to take to the skies this November promising a premier service that caters to the religious needs of its Muslim passengers.