Former airline staff who had been retrenched due to the current economic situation will soon be offered employment by Bayu Mutiara Skyways Bhd (Bayu Air).

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Saifulrizal Raffien said, the airline is targeting to recruit more than 100 former Malaysia Airlines (MAS) crew members and 25 former pilots from the same company to join their team.

“Most of the former MAS employees are already familiar with the Boeing 777 aircraft so we are just waiting for the right time to recruit able former MAS staff to be with Bayu Air.

“The airline’s initial operations will include three Boeing 777-200 aircraft operating at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA),” he said during his keynote address at the pre-launch event of the airline, here Tuesday.

Bayu Air, established two years ago, is a wholly-owned Bumiputera company and had envisioned to become a charter airline company since November 2014.

Saifulrizal said the main routes for the first phase of operation will include Jeddah and Madinah for Umrah pilgrims and also travel routes to China.

“The second phase will begin after several years of operations where Bayu Air is expected to fly to several European countries,” he added.