MALAYSIA’S Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) on Monday suspended the nation’s first sharia-compliant airline for three months.

The airline was suspended on the grounds of faulty service and unpaid salaries, barely five months after its maiden flight.

DCA director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said prior warnings given to the airline went unheeded, which led to the suspension. DCA added it will undertake a full administration and safety audit of Rayani’s operations.

On its own accord, the airline grounded operations last Friday following a pilot strike. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai condemned the airline for the move, saying that it had no authority to suspend itself.

Last week, Rayani landed in hot water after a Malaysian politician’s photo of his hand-written boarding pass caught fire on social media last week.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia have stepped up to offer discounts to passengers affected by yesterday’s suspension.

Source: travelwireasia.com