Biman loses Tk 400 million in revenues for Hajj flight cancellation: Official

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has lost Tk 400 million in revenues as it cancelled more than a dozen Hajj flights this year, said its top official.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 9 August 2017, 09:48 AM
Updated : 9 August 2017, 10:24 AM

Until Wednesday, the national flag carrier cancelled as many as 19 flights to Saudi Arabia due to a shortage of passengers.
 
Complications in securing visas for pilgrims this year led to the shortage of passengers. 
 
The situation was further worsened by the Saudi authorities’ sudden move to impose an additional 2,000 riyals on pilgrims, who performed Hajj in the last two years, which came alongside a hike in the fees for guides in Saudi Arabia.

More than 7,000 pilgrims could have gone to Saudi Arabia in those cancelled flights.
 
"It's a very challenging situation and it needs to be improved," Managing Director AM Mosaddique Ahmed said at a media briefing.
 

As many as 127,198 Bangladeshis are estimated to perform the annual Muslim pilgrimage this year, which is expected to be held between Aug 30 and Sep 4, depending on moon sighting.

Since Jul 24, around 40,000 pilgrims from Bangladesh have been able to make the journey. Of them, 24,000 have been carried by Biman.

Ahmed, who is also Biman's CEO, finds it quite tough to manage flights for the remaining 52,000 pilgrims in a span of one week.

Replying to a query on Saudia Airline's operations during the Hajj season, he said the airline carries pilgrims on scheduled flights and does not operate separate flights.

"But the flights cancelled by Biman were reserved for the pilgrims.”