Biman to take lease of two Boeing aircraft
Thursday, 20 May 2010
FE Report
The state-run Biman is going to take lease two wide-bodied Boeing 777-200 aircraft as part of its desperate attempt to replace the aging DC-10-30s which are frequently facing technical troubles, top Biman official told the FE.
"We are at the stage of finalising the lease negotiation with US based Pacific Aviation & Lease Management (PALM) for the two aircraft," Chairman of Biman's Board of Director Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed (Retd) told the FE.
The twin engine aircraft can accommodate 300-350 passengers with a maximum operating range of 9,695 km. Biman Bangladesh Airlines has intended to procure the two aircraft initially on wet-lease (ACMI) at the rate of US$5800 per block hour.
"The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is suitable to operate on our Middle-Eastern and South-East Asian destinations which are traditionally Biman's prime market," Mr Jamal said.
Biman largely depends on its 300-seater age-old DC-10s to operate these two routes.
The two leased B777-200 aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of this year, Mr Jamal added.
Three out of Bimans fleet of four DC-10-30 aircraft are in operation now intermittently while the other has been grounded for years, Biman's source said.
Biman's chairman said "It has been difficult to maintain schedule flights with the aged DC-10-30 aircraft as they have been prone to frequent technical failures in recent months."
"We need to find quick alternative to ensure our market existence in the competitive aviation industry," he said acknowledging Biman's intention to replace the old aircraft.
Aiming to ensure uninterrupted operation, Biman has already taken lease of one long-haul Boeing 777-200ER, two Boeing 737-800, one Boeing 747 and one mid-haul Airbus 310 from different leasing companies.
Burdened with its depleting fleet, Biman in 2008 signed a deal with the American aerospace giant Boeing to buy four 777-300ERs and four 787-8s aircraft valued at US$1.26 billion. Besides delivering of two B777-300ER by October 2011, the rest would be handed over in phases through 2020.
"Once all these aircraft would join, we would able to get rid of our entire trouble making aircraft from the main fleet," Mr Jamal said projecting a better performing vibrant national carrier in coming days.
The national flag carrier currently owns four McDonnell Douglas DC10-30s, four Fokker F28s and three Airbus A310-300s.
The state-run Biman is going to take lease two wide-bodied Boeing 777-200 aircraft as part of its desperate attempt to replace the aging DC-10-30s which are frequently facing technical troubles, top Biman official told the FE.
"We are at the stage of finalising the lease negotiation with US based Pacific Aviation & Lease Management (PALM) for the two aircraft," Chairman of Biman's Board of Director Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed (Retd) told the FE.
The twin engine aircraft can accommodate 300-350 passengers with a maximum operating range of 9,695 km. Biman Bangladesh Airlines has intended to procure the two aircraft initially on wet-lease (ACMI) at the rate of US$5800 per block hour.
"The Boeing 777-200 aircraft is suitable to operate on our Middle-Eastern and South-East Asian destinations which are traditionally Biman's prime market," Mr Jamal said.
Biman largely depends on its 300-seater age-old DC-10s to operate these two routes.
The two leased B777-200 aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of this year, Mr Jamal added.
Three out of Bimans fleet of four DC-10-30 aircraft are in operation now intermittently while the other has been grounded for years, Biman's source said.
Biman's chairman said "It has been difficult to maintain schedule flights with the aged DC-10-30 aircraft as they have been prone to frequent technical failures in recent months."
"We need to find quick alternative to ensure our market existence in the competitive aviation industry," he said acknowledging Biman's intention to replace the old aircraft.
Aiming to ensure uninterrupted operation, Biman has already taken lease of one long-haul Boeing 777-200ER, two Boeing 737-800, one Boeing 747 and one mid-haul Airbus 310 from different leasing companies.
Burdened with its depleting fleet, Biman in 2008 signed a deal with the American aerospace giant Boeing to buy four 777-300ERs and four 787-8s aircraft valued at US$1.26 billion. Besides delivering of two B777-300ER by October 2011, the rest would be handed over in phases through 2020.
"Once all these aircraft would join, we would able to get rid of our entire trouble making aircraft from the main fleet," Mr Jamal said projecting a better performing vibrant national carrier in coming days.
The national flag carrier currently owns four McDonnell Douglas DC10-30s, four Fokker F28s and three Airbus A310-300s.