United Airways resumes domestic flights with ‘alternative arrangement’

Private airlines United Airways has resumed domestic flights with ‘alternative arrangement’ after a three-day suspension.

The company was forced to ground all its domestic and foreign flights after its pilots went on a strike on Wednesday demanding outstanding salaries.

The company hired pilots to operate its Dhaka-Jessore flight on Friday evening.

A day after the commencement of the strike, United said it would ‘solve the crisis’ by appointing captains if the pilots stayed away from work.

United’s Assistant General Manager Kamrul Islam on Friday said their flight to Jeddah from Chittagong would resume on Saturday.

Flights on internal routes would operate on time, he added.

“We’re running flights making alternative arrangement as the pilots are on strike. All flights will run on time shortly,” he told bdnews24.com.

The airline, often accused of poor services, suspended four flights on the international routes and seven on domestic routes in the last two days.

It had grounded its flights in September last year after its managing director resigned, causing severe suffering to the passengers.

In June, it saved its licence by paying Tk 10 million, just a fraction of its dues of Tk 770 million with the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

An official of the company told bdnews24.com that they had 12 pilots.

“They are the highest paid employees of the company. They have refrained from flying since last Tuesday due to non-payment of their outstanding salaries,” the official said seeking anonymity.

According to the source, first officers or assistant pilots have not joined the strike.

Launched in 2007, the private airline flew on several domestic and a few international routes, particularly to the Middle East, Bangladesh's largest labour market.