It’s the end of the road for Rayani Air, which operated for several months as Malaysia’s only syariah-compliant airline.
The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has decided to revoke the troubled company’s Air Service Licence (ASL) following a thorough check into its operations, Bernama reports.
“Rayani Air can no longer operate as a commercial airline with effect from today,” Mavcom reportedly said in a statement.
The decision, as stated by Mavcom, was made after Rayani Air’s written response to the show-cause letter issued to the airline on May 25 was deemed not satisfactory.
According to the report, Mavcom said this did not mean that the airline was no longer liable to refund its customers.
“Customers who have purchased tickets with Rayani Air but were not able to go on their journey may lodge a complaint with the company and seek a refund,” it said.
“In the event consumers are not able to obtain their refunds, they can file a civil suit for those refunds.”
Rayani Air issued its own statement on Facebook, confirming the revocation and stating that it wished to appeal to the MAVCOM and the DCA for a second chance.
Chief executive and owner Ravi Alagendrran said the decision had come ‘at the peak of our negotiations with investors for the acquisition of equity in Rayani Air in realisation that the present owners and their management are no longer fit to revive the airline.’
“The qualified and strong management team of the new investors would revive and manage the airline much better than us,” he said.
The airline — with completely halal in-flight meals and no alcohol — began operations on Dec 20 last year, with its maiden flight departing from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi,
Ravi and his wife Kathiyani Govindan were its founders.
In April, a group of Rayani Air staff members issued a demand from the carrier to settle their unpaid salaries, amounting to a total of RM1.5 million.
Rayani Air was ordered by the Department of Civil Aviation to suspend its operations for three months beginning April 11, following a strike by the carriers pilots over the issue of outstanding salary payments.
