United Airways looks to resume flights in a week

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is likely to go for action against the United Airways, if it fails to resolve the crisis immediately, while the top management of the airline expressed their commitment to resume the operation within a week

The officials of CAAB and United Airways expressed their views in two separate press briefings at CAAB headquarters in city on Thursday afternoon.

"Sudden suspension of flight operations put the airline in trouble, But the new management assured us to resume their flight operation within a week. We are now waiting to see about their activities," said S M Nazmul Anam, Director (Flight Safety and Regulations).

The United Airways sought 10 to 15 days from CAAB to overcome its volatile situation. "But if the airline fails to maintain standard and compliance set by the CAAB, we will go for legal action against the private airlines," Nazmul added.

Meanwhile in another press briefing, acting managing director of United Airways Shahinoor Alam and Ahfaz Miah, member of board said that braving all sorts of odd they are determined to resume their flight operation within a week.

"We are passing through a state of great anxiety, confusion and uncertainty. But we are giving commitment to our valued customers and shareholders that we will be able to overcome the present crisis," said Ahfaz Miah, Bangladesh born British citizen, also an investor of the airline.

Shahinoor Alam accused former chairman Tasbirul Ahmed Chowdhury of capturing all accounts of the airlines fuelling the crisis."But I'm giving commitment that of our all staffs, employees and pilots will remain with us and their salaries and other benefits will be given before the holy Eid-Ul-Fitr," he added.

According to sources, about 1000 air passengers, scheduled to travel by United Airways, were stranded in Dhaka and four other major cities abroad following suspension of all its international and domestic flights from Thursday.

The sudden cancellation of the flights caused huge sufferings to the passengers stuck at Dhaka, Kualalumpur and three other Middle Eastern countries. Many of the passengers, who arrived at Shahjalal International airport on Wednesday night and Thursday for their scheduled flights staged demonstrations. The passengers of both domestic and international routes on Thursday were seen running here and there. But no official from the United Airways was present at the airport.        

According to sources, most of the seats on domestic routes have also been booked on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha. Home bound passengers have also started asking the travels agents about the ticket money. Many of them even went to the airline's head office at Uttara but returned disappointed as the office remained closed.    

The airlines had been operating flights on Dhaka-Muscat, Dhaka-Doha, Dhaka-Jeddah, Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Jessore and Dhaka-Syedpur-Rajshahi.  

The mismanagement created after United Airways chairman and managing director Captain Tasbirul Ahmed resigned. Mahtabur Rahman has been appointed as chairman and Shahinur Alam as MD following of the former Managing director. But they did not join the office that made the situation more complex.

A group of senior officials of the airlines at a press conference on Wednesday declared suspension of flight operations at its Uttara head office, only days after major changes were brought to its top management. Top level management crisis and serious fund constraints are learnt to be the main reasons behind suspension of flight operations.

"We announced suspension of the flight mainly due to fund crisis," said a frustrated director while talking to the press adding that even they were suffering from shortage of fuel and in-flight foods that forced them to suspend the operations.

Despite suspension of flights, none of the passengers were informed accordingly. No decisions were taken regarding alternative arrangements for passengers in urgency or payback of ticket money pushing most of the passengers in a state of uncertainty.

Although personal reasons are cited as the cause of the step down, insiders said Tasbirul resigned to avoid conflict with other board members who wanted to see a change in the leadership.

Senior officials of the airline claimed that flight operations suffered as there was no active top management in the past for the last two days, as a result, flights for Dhaka-Doha-Muscat, Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur and four local flights had to be cancelled.

In the fiscal year 2012-13, United Airways made profits of Tk115.4 crore. During its seven years of operations, it operated 48,000 flights, carried 20 lakh passengers and 5,000 tonnes of cargo. As of 2014, it employs over 1000 people and has a fleet of 11 aircrafts.

mzrbd@yahoo.com