Biman to hire two Boeing 777-200ER for resuming long-suspended flights
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Mashiur Rahaman
State-owned carrier Biman will procure two fuel-efficient Boeing 777 aircraft from a Portuguese leasing company in an effort to resume its suspended long haul flights, an official said Monday.
Biman's board has agreed to sign a letter of intent with a Lisbon-based Euro Atlantic Airways for leasing 323-seater two Boeing 777-200ER aircraft from November this year.
"We have reached a decision to lease the two fuel efficient aircraft for four years including one year on wet-lease and the rest three on dry lease basis," Biman chief executive officer Muhammed Zakiul Islam told the FE.
In a 'wet' leasing system, the hiring airline pays for every service of the aircraft including crew, maintenance and insurance. In 'dry' leasing, the airline will have to bear all costs except crew.
The board has also decided to hire another two Boeing 777 planes before the end of the year, he said, as the government-owned carrier went on the overdrive to phase out its age-old DC-10 aircraft and ease an acute crisis of air-worthy fleet.
Biman took the decision after about ten months following tough words from the Prime Minister who has reportedly expressed her anger over flight cuts and lack of operating aircraft at the state-run airline company.
Biman's fleet has been reduced to five from as 13 early this year, due to expiry of lease period of two aircraft and frequent technical groundings of age-old planes.
Biman CEO said with the two Boeing 777-200ER, the airline will resume its Dhaka-New York flights and some long distance routes, which have been suspended since 2006.
"We are hopeful the leased aircraft will help us restore Biman's flight schedule," he said.
Biman has been trying to lease new aircraft to maintain its leadership in Bangladesh's aviation market. But its three previous attempts to hire aircraft were scuttled by bureaucrats.
A representative of the Euro Atlantic said the company would sign the Letter of Intent with Biman within a couple of days.
"We are ready to delivery planes even before the scheduled time, depending on the need of Biman," he said.
State-owned carrier Biman will procure two fuel-efficient Boeing 777 aircraft from a Portuguese leasing company in an effort to resume its suspended long haul flights, an official said Monday.
Biman's board has agreed to sign a letter of intent with a Lisbon-based Euro Atlantic Airways for leasing 323-seater two Boeing 777-200ER aircraft from November this year.
"We have reached a decision to lease the two fuel efficient aircraft for four years including one year on wet-lease and the rest three on dry lease basis," Biman chief executive officer Muhammed Zakiul Islam told the FE.
In a 'wet' leasing system, the hiring airline pays for every service of the aircraft including crew, maintenance and insurance. In 'dry' leasing, the airline will have to bear all costs except crew.
The board has also decided to hire another two Boeing 777 planes before the end of the year, he said, as the government-owned carrier went on the overdrive to phase out its age-old DC-10 aircraft and ease an acute crisis of air-worthy fleet.
Biman took the decision after about ten months following tough words from the Prime Minister who has reportedly expressed her anger over flight cuts and lack of operating aircraft at the state-run airline company.
Biman's fleet has been reduced to five from as 13 early this year, due to expiry of lease period of two aircraft and frequent technical groundings of age-old planes.
Biman CEO said with the two Boeing 777-200ER, the airline will resume its Dhaka-New York flights and some long distance routes, which have been suspended since 2006.
"We are hopeful the leased aircraft will help us restore Biman's flight schedule," he said.
Biman has been trying to lease new aircraft to maintain its leadership in Bangladesh's aviation market. But its three previous attempts to hire aircraft were scuttled by bureaucrats.
A representative of the Euro Atlantic said the company would sign the Letter of Intent with Biman within a couple of days.
"We are ready to delivery planes even before the scheduled time, depending on the need of Biman," he said.