Biman to fly domestic routes again

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is going to launch domestic routes again at the directive of a parliamentary panel.

Ashik Hossainbdnews24.com
Published : 30 Sept 2014, 05:29 PM
Updated : 30 Sept 2014, 05:29 PM
The flag carrier’s acting Managing Director Captain Mosaddique Ahmed said they received several proposals in the sixth tender they invited after five futile attempts.
He told bdnews24.com on Tuesday the proposals will be placed before the board of directors next week.
“We’ll start the process to procure aircraft in the shortest possible time after the board of directors approved (the proposal),” he added.
Ahmed was hopeful that they would be able to re-launch domestic flights within the time stipulated by the parliamentary panel.
He, however, declined to disclose on which routes the service would be launched.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism Muhammad Faruk Khan at a meeting on Aug 25 had asked the Biman authorities to start operating domestic flights in two months.
Biman was looking for two turbo-propeller planes for the domestic routes, but it failed to get positive response even after calling tenders five times.
According to Biman officials, 45 to 50-seat turbo propeller aircraft are commercially more viable than any other planes as their fuel and maintenance costs are low.
The airline’s former managing director Kevin Steele in November last year had announced plans to re-launch its domestic flights, but failed.