Dhaka, June 11 (bdnews24.com) – Private aviation company GMG airlines has received a permit to operate flights on four international routes including three to the Middle East.
The routes are United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Kuwait, and Pakistan.
At a conference with Biman Monday, GMG officials said that they would begin these flights within 6 months.
The officials met at the ministry of civil aviation and tourism in the secretariat and talked on international routes and hajj-passenger carrying.
Civil aviation adviser MA Matin, acting secretary to the civil aviation ministry Sheikh Altaf Ali, managing director of Biman MA Momen and, on GMG's behalf, organising secretary Shahab Sattar and assistant organising secretary Ismail R Choudhury were present among other high officials.
After the meet adviser Matin said, "GMG wants to operate on international routes. We listened to what they had to say and gave them the permit."
GMG wanted permission to carry 15,000 passengers from this year's hajj. But a 'no' was the answer, as they lacked preparation. It was settled that the refusal would be lifted if they could ready themselves for the next hajj, Matin added.
Matin told reporters: "Converting Biman into a public limited company (PLC) is at the final stages. If the process is not done by June 30, it will be within July 15. All those concerned are working for it."
Shahab Sattar said that they were going to procure bigger aircraft for the international routes. Six months would be enough for GMG to launch the international venture, he added.
bdnews24.com/mk/ra/az/rm/1745 hours