Malaysia’s Raya Airways eyes fleet and network growth

Raya Airways (TH, Kuala Lumpur Subang) is planning to expand its fleet and network over the course of 2022 as cargo demand is exceeding pre-pandemic levels, Managing Director Mohamad Najib Ishak told Malaysian media.

Ishak said the carrier would focus on long-term strategic decisions rather than short-term responses to the crisis. It sees the boom in e-commerce as a trend that will continue after the COVID-19 pandemic abates and will therefore concentrate on this market, its current role in distributing vaccines to Malaysia notwithstanding.

Raya Airways did not disclose any further details concerning its planned fleet expansion. The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows it operates one B737-400(SF), one B767-200(BDSF), and two B767-200(SF)s at this time, having retired its last B757-200(PCF) a year ago.

Raya Airways did not outline its network plans either but intimated that China would remain a core market. Ishak spoke glowingly about the success of the airline’s newest route, to Nanning, launched in mid-2021 and which has already tripled in capacity since then.

The carrier’s plan also includes investment in training and maintenance centres.