New Shariah-compliant airlines should watch for competition on horizon
Photo: UK-based Firnas Airways claims to be Shariah-compliant / Promotional material from Firnas Airways
As tourism agencies and hotels in holiday destination cities scramble to capture the burgeoning Muslim travel market with specialized services, some startup air carriers have joined the fray with what they describe as Shariah-compliant air travel.
Malaysia’s Rayani Air and UK-based Firnas Airways are advertising their airlines as Shariah-compliant. It’s a niche service offered in an effort to capture a portion of the highly competitive $145 billion Muslim travel market in which many airlines already offer halal food on flights. Much of that travel is to Singapore, Thailand and the UK, the top three non-Islamic destinations for Muslim travelers, according to halal travel consultants CrescentRating.
Shariah-compliant airlines offer benefits to Muslim travelers several steps beyond typical halal services, which are usually limited to serving halal food.
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Rob L. Wagner