‘DC-10’ out at year end

Two DC-10 passenger aircraft, both 30-year old, will be phased out of the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in November this year.

“Since the DC-10s are old, they are difficult to maintain and are fuel-inefficient,” Biman's Managing Director Kevin Steele told bdnews24.com in an interview.

Steele, also CEO, said Biman will accquire two Boeing 777 and two Boeing 737 aircraft within 2014. “We are considering bringing in at least four more long-haul carriers on dry lease ahead of the next Hajj season.”

“So taking out the two DC-10 aircraft will not affect us,” Steele said.

Apart from these two old aircraft, Biman now has two Airbus, two Boeing 777 and two leased Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet.

DC-10 is a three-engine wide-body jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which did not come up with any aircraft after 1988. No other airline in the world uses DC-10 now.

Steele said plans were afoot to double the existing Biman fleet by 2014-15.

Aviation experts and officials welcomed the decision to phase out the two DC-10.

Former Biman board member and aviation expert Kazi Wahedul Alam told bdnews24.com that the DC-10s are no longer cost-efficient as they consume much more fuel, cost more to maintain and need more manpower.

“They (Biman) took the right decision,” Alam said.

“If an airline spends 30 percent of operating costs on fuel, it is very hard to profit. No other airline in the world uses aircraft more than five to seven years old.”

The aviation expert also suggested gradual phasing out of the two 20-year-old Airbuses as well.