2 hired aircraft arrive

FE Team | Published: April 04, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

FE Report
Two new leasehold aircraft flew into Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka Friday, paving the way for resumption of Biman's domestic flight operation on April 06 after a long lapse.
The two 74-seater Dash-8 Q400s turboprop were supposed to reach four days back from its Egypt-based supplier, Smart Aviation.
Hiring the airplanes is aimed at expansion of domestic services, after suspension since 2007.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the domestic flight- service-extension activities tomorrow (05 April).
The national flag-carrier operated its last domestic flight on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route in 2012. But Biman used to carry domestic passengers on its international
connecting flights on Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes.A Bangladesh Biman release says with effect from 06 April, it will operate 6 flights to Cox's Bazar, 5 to Jessore, 3 to both Rajshahi and Syedpur and 2 to Barisal per week.
The fares fixed by Biman will be much lower than that of all the private airlines operating domestic flights at the moment. The one-way fare, including tax, will come to Tk 4,000 for Dhaka-Chittagong travel, Dhaka-Cox's Bazar Tk 5,000, Dhaka-Sylhet Tk 3,200, Dhaka-Rajshahi, Dhaka-Syedpur and Dhaka-Jessore Tk 3,500, Dhaka-Barisal Tk 3,000 and Chittagong-Cox's Bazar Tk 2,200.
Furthermore, it will add up to 25 additional frequencies per week on Chittagong and Sylhet routes. The total number of seats will grow almost 80 per cent weekly to 14,010.
Under the in-country aviation operations, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate more than 120 flights a week. The expansion will see "a huge growth in domestic operations by the flag-carrier after a long recession", the release added.
The state-owned aviation company has to pay a monthly amount of Tk 13 million or US$ 168,000 to Smart Aviation.
Biman signed an agreement with Smart Aviation of Egypt for taking two Dash8 Q400s on lease for a period of five years from the latter. Manufactured by Bombardier of Canada, Dash8 Q400 is a 74-seat configuration turboprop in a single class.
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