Biman yet to hire aircraft for Hajj operation
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Mashiur Rahaman
The state-run Biman is yet to hire aircraft for the Hajj operation this year while deadline for mandatory operation clearance from the Saudi Arabian authority has already expired, Biman sources said.
As per aviation industry regulations, entry of any scheduled or non-scheduled flight with leased aircraft into Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requires mandatory clearance from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the KSA.
"Aircraft's documents for GACA clearance need to be submitted at least 120 days prior to operation initiation. For Biman's Hajj operation this year, the deadline was June 10," a well-placed source confirmed the FE.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines invited tender for a Boeing 747 aircraft on wet-lease for its Hajj operation on May 25 last. After a month, the Biman authority is in the stage of tender evaluation which would take about a month more to finalise the lease procurement, Biman's tender committee official said.
Acknowledging the fact of missing deadline for GACA permission, a top Biman official, requesting anonymity, said that the clearance could be obtained later by using 'influences.'
"It's hard for Biman to procure the leasing of aircraft earlier in order to maintain the deadline," he said adding that the state carrier faces this complication almost every year.
The state-run Biman is yet to hire aircraft for the Hajj operation this year while deadline for mandatory operation clearance from the Saudi Arabian authority has already expired, Biman sources said.
As per aviation industry regulations, entry of any scheduled or non-scheduled flight with leased aircraft into Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requires mandatory clearance from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the KSA.
"Aircraft's documents for GACA clearance need to be submitted at least 120 days prior to operation initiation. For Biman's Hajj operation this year, the deadline was June 10," a well-placed source confirmed the FE.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines invited tender for a Boeing 747 aircraft on wet-lease for its Hajj operation on May 25 last. After a month, the Biman authority is in the stage of tender evaluation which would take about a month more to finalise the lease procurement, Biman's tender committee official said.
Acknowledging the fact of missing deadline for GACA permission, a top Biman official, requesting anonymity, said that the clearance could be obtained later by using 'influences.'
"It's hard for Biman to procure the leasing of aircraft earlier in order to maintain the deadline," he said adding that the state carrier faces this complication almost every year.