Biman's spl flight returns with lone passenger
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Mashiur Rahaman
State-run Biman's first special flight between Dhaka-London-Dhaka took off Sunday with capacity passenger, but returned the next day with only one passenger on board, Biman source said.
Out of three special flights Biman Bangladesh Airlines is operating to ferry nearly a thousand stranded passengers in London and Dhaka, its first flight returned to Dhaka carrying the lone passenger at 9:45 am.
"The 323-seater Boeing 777-200ER flight left Dhaka fully booked but failed to get even a moderate passengers' response for the return trip," Biman official said blaming its sales and marketing department office in London for the failure.
Biman applied for permission to the British Civil Aviation Authority for three special flights as there was a great passenger demand on both the sides. Following a series of negotiations, the national flag carrier managed to acquire permission to operate two Boeing 777-200ER and one Airbus-310 flights to London (LHR) airport.
"The passenger response from Dhaka to London remained unchanged, but it completely changed on its return flight as Biman's passengers availed other available airlines," he said.
It has been reported that Biman's office in London did not even inform the stranded passengers about the special flight arrangements, he added.
The flag carrier suspended three scheduled flights on Dhaka-London route from April 17 to April 20 due to the spewing of volcanic ashes that brought the European aviation industry to its knees.
Biman resumed schedule operation on April 21 but failed to assure thousands of passengers who were caught up by flight cancellations.
Biman's second special flight to London also took-off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Monday with full passenger and the third with Airbus 310 aircraft will leave Tuesday at 2:00am.
State-run Biman's first special flight between Dhaka-London-Dhaka took off Sunday with capacity passenger, but returned the next day with only one passenger on board, Biman source said.
Out of three special flights Biman Bangladesh Airlines is operating to ferry nearly a thousand stranded passengers in London and Dhaka, its first flight returned to Dhaka carrying the lone passenger at 9:45 am.
"The 323-seater Boeing 777-200ER flight left Dhaka fully booked but failed to get even a moderate passengers' response for the return trip," Biman official said blaming its sales and marketing department office in London for the failure.
Biman applied for permission to the British Civil Aviation Authority for three special flights as there was a great passenger demand on both the sides. Following a series of negotiations, the national flag carrier managed to acquire permission to operate two Boeing 777-200ER and one Airbus-310 flights to London (LHR) airport.
"The passenger response from Dhaka to London remained unchanged, but it completely changed on its return flight as Biman's passengers availed other available airlines," he said.
It has been reported that Biman's office in London did not even inform the stranded passengers about the special flight arrangements, he added.
The flag carrier suspended three scheduled flights on Dhaka-London route from April 17 to April 20 due to the spewing of volcanic ashes that brought the European aviation industry to its knees.
Biman resumed schedule operation on April 21 but failed to assure thousands of passengers who were caught up by flight cancellations.
Biman's second special flight to London also took-off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Monday with full passenger and the third with Airbus 310 aircraft will leave Tuesday at 2:00am.