Rayani Air founder appears before an inquiry at DCA

Rayani Air founder Datuk G.Karthiyani appeared before an inquiry on the airline at the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), here today.

When approached after emerging from the meeting, Karthiyani broke the news that she needed to rush to hospital since her husband Ravi Alagendrran, who is also the founder of the airline, was hospitalised after he fainted.

She said she had furnished details on the airline's internal operation before the inquiry today.

Karthiyani said there would be another meeting regarding Rayani Air next week.

"It will be a good answer," she said about her expectation on the next round of meeting.

The DCA had provisionally suspended the Syariah-compliant airline Rayani Air for three months beginning April 11.

Following the suspension notice which had been sent to the airline also on April 11, the DCA would undertake a full administration and safety audit of Rayani Airs state of operations to assess its compliance with the Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

According to DCA Director-General Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, this was the first time an airline's AOC was suspended under Regulation 87(1) of Malaysia Civil Aviation Regulation 1996.

Azharuddin also said with the provisional suspension, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) which now governed the Air Service Licences (ASL), would perform an evaluation on Rayani Airs commercial standing and capabilities to determine its ability to continue as an ASL-holder.