United Airways pilots back at work after five-day strike, normal operations resume

United Airways has resumed normal operations of its domestic and international flights with striking pilots back at work.

The private airline’s Assistant General Manager (Marketing and PR) Kamrul Islam said the pilots resumed work on Sunday after having called off the strike on Saturday afternoon following a meeting with the management.
 
“Normal flight operations on domestic and international routes have resumed,” he said.
 
United Airways pilots had gone on strike on Apr 22 demanding pending salaries, resulting in the suspension of all flights.
 
Even as its pilots stayed away from work, the airline began operating some domestic and international flights from Friday evening with alternative arrangements.
 
Earlier, on Thursday, United had said in a media statement it would begin recruiting flight captains to solve the ‘problem’ unless the pilots returned to work.
 
Flights of the airline had been suspended for several days in September last year, when its owners got into a row, inconveniencing passengers.
 
An airlines official told bdnews24.com on Friday they currently had 12 pilots.
 
“They’re the highest paid officials of the organisation. They had not been flying planes since Tuesday night demanding the payment of their salaries that had become due for over a month,” he said requesting anonymity.
 
He said first officers or assistant pilots did not join the striking pilots.
 
United Airways, which launched its service in 2005, operates international flights to Jeddah, Dubai, Muscat, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Kathmandu and Kolkata.
 
It operates domestic flights to Sylhet, Jessore, Rajshahi, Syedpur, Ishwardi and Barisal.
 
The airline has a DAS-8, three ATRs, five MD-83s and two Airbuses in its fleet.