Biman advised to close domestic flights except Ctg, Sylhet
Wednesday, 12 March 2008
The fleet committee of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited has proposed the authorities concerned to close all domestic flight except on Chittagong and Sylhet routes as the company is eyeing to establish itself as a world class airliner.
The fleet committee in its proposal stated that it would not be a wise decision for Biman, the national flag carrier, to operate domestic flights except on Chittagong and Sylhet routes.
"We include Chittagong and Sylhet as there are huge number of expatriates from these two areas live in different countries around the world," Captain Shah Alam, a member of the fleet committee, told UNB Tuesday.
He said the fleet committee proposed to operate connecting services for Chittagong and Sylhet.
Replying to a question, Shah Alam said, there are four private airliners operating their domestic flights and the domestic market is already saturated.
"We don't want to enter in that saturated and small market; we want to do our core business and that is operating international flights."
In the proposal, the fleet committee mentioned that there was no need to procure small aircraft in future to operate domestic flights. "Rather, we are looking to make a new impression in the international market," the fleet committee member said.
Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Mahbub Jamil at a press conference Monday also said that they were not interested in domestic market. "We will open the domestic sector to the private airliners," he had said.
Biman currently owns three types of aircraft-four McDonnell Douglas DC10-30s, four Fokker F28s and three Airbus A310-300s. Out of a total of 11 planes of Biman fleet, only four or five are operating now while the rest are grounded.
The fleet committee in its proposal stated that it would not be a wise decision for Biman, the national flag carrier, to operate domestic flights except on Chittagong and Sylhet routes.
"We include Chittagong and Sylhet as there are huge number of expatriates from these two areas live in different countries around the world," Captain Shah Alam, a member of the fleet committee, told UNB Tuesday.
He said the fleet committee proposed to operate connecting services for Chittagong and Sylhet.
Replying to a question, Shah Alam said, there are four private airliners operating their domestic flights and the domestic market is already saturated.
"We don't want to enter in that saturated and small market; we want to do our core business and that is operating international flights."
In the proposal, the fleet committee mentioned that there was no need to procure small aircraft in future to operate domestic flights. "Rather, we are looking to make a new impression in the international market," the fleet committee member said.
Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Mahbub Jamil at a press conference Monday also said that they were not interested in domestic market. "We will open the domestic sector to the private airliners," he had said.
Biman currently owns three types of aircraft-four McDonnell Douglas DC10-30s, four Fokker F28s and three Airbus A310-300s. Out of a total of 11 planes of Biman fleet, only four or five are operating now while the rest are grounded.