UK's Firnas Airways to launch with a Jetstream 31

UK's Firnas Airways begins certification

UK's Firnas Airways to serve regional UK, Euro market

Firnas Airways (Oxford Kidlington) has revised its launch plans with it to now commence operations during the second half of the year as a short-haul operator serving UK domestic and European routes. An RFP was issued earlier this year for the dry-lease of two twin turboprop aircraft with preference given to Saab 340As and Do328-100s.

A revised investor's prospectus indicates Firnas Airways will focus on routes that are currently unserved or underserved by existing UK and European regional carriers.

"This is mainly to ensure we are not in the way of other major operators such as Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) or easyJet (London Luton) and also to ensure we maximise our commercial potentials with routes that have track record of performing with very high load factors (seat occupancy) and maximum yields (profit)," the start-up said in a statement.

Once operations have settled, the carrier intends to branch into the medium-haul market some 18-24 months after launching. There, it will focus on serving unspecified routes in Africa,...

UK start-up Firnas Airways issues 19-seater dry-lease RFP

Europe's first Sharia-friendly carrier Firnas seeks funding

Aiming to become the United Kingdom and Europe's first Sharia-friendly carrier, Firnas Airways (Oxford Kidlington) has launched a USD50 million capital-raising drive in the Gulf.

Airline founder and CEO Kazi Shafiqur Rahman said in a statement that the funds would be used to sustain the start-up during its first three years of operations as well as to cover leases for a trio of B767-300(ER)s it plans to source.

In addition to Sharia-compliant financing, the airline also plans to offer an halaal on-board experience including halaal cuisine, kiblats, and an alcohol-free refreshment offering.

Firnas Airways will target the British Muslim demographic travelling to the Middle East and Asia. As such, it plans to operate unserved or underserved routes between the UK and Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and is also in talks with London’s five major airports with a view to establishing the airline’s UK hub.

Former Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG, Dhaka) CEO Kevin Steele has been tapped as the project's managing director.