Malaysia Aviation Group has formally launched its Umrah and Hajj specialist carrier unit, Amal by Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International).

A company statement said Amal by Malaysia Airlines commenced operations in October 2018 and operates up to three daily flights from Kuala Lumpur International to Jeddah International and Madinah onboard A380-800 aircraft.

"Amal is the first carrier in the world to offer a dedicated pilgrim-centric airline service," Malaysia Aviation Group Chief Executive Officer, Izham Ismail, said. "We see big potential for the Hajj and Umrah market and we have the added advantage of having years of experience providing such a service. The opportunity is not just in Malaysia but also in Thailand and Indonesia, which are just next door. Indonesia in particular has a Muslim population 10 times larger than Malaysia and is an under-served market. The aim is to establish an air transport system and infrastructure dedicated for Hajj and Umrah for Muslims not just from these three countries but also other ASEAN countries.”