Foreign cos to partner with Biman soon to improve shabby airport services

National flag-carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BBA) moves for joint 'ground handling service' at the country's three international airports in partnership with foreign companies to improve the substandard quality of work, officials said.
Tender floating soon to select international partners to jointly operate the ground- handling services as, currently, the BBA performs this job alone which is responsible for poor service, they said
Due to shortage of skilled manpower and equipment support the BBA alone could not provide proper service to passengers.
As a result, the incidents of luggage missing and mishandling have increased alarmingly.
Lack of proper ground handling has been creating frustrations and sufferings to the air travelers at the countries three international airports: Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet
At present, around 25 countries' 25 airline companies, including four local flag-carriers, handle more than 100 flights carrying some 10,000 passengers every day from the three airports.
 "We are taking an initiative for joint ground handling with foreign companies for improved service," Mosaddek Ahmed, acting Managing Director of Biman, told the FE.
He said now they are at the final stage and within a short time going to float Request for Proposal (RFP) from international ground-handling groups.
He said the BBA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) are jointly working to take assistance from an international partner as the Biman doesn't have sufficient ground-handling equipment and experienced manpower.
The employees of Biman are still working with old technology, he said.
As a result, they could not provide better service to the air passengers.
The number of airlines has increased significantly over the past five years as most of the local and international carriers are expanding their business. But Biman's manpower and equipment still remained outmoded.
During several visits to the Dhaka airport, the FE correspondent found every day around 60-65 incoming passengers leaving the airport without their luggage.
Of them, around 90 per cent passengers complained to the 'lost-and-found' sections of several airlines.
According to Biman officials, in last five months (July-November) more than 7,000 passengers have lodged complaints to several airline companies as they came from abroad, including the Middle East, and lost their luggage.
Several high officials of air carrier companies, including local and foreign, said a good number of luggage going messing every day but the authorities almost didn't have any step to check the heist.
 "It's true everyday on average more than 60-65 passengers of several airlines lose their luggage, causing a serious pain to the passengers," one official said.
Kazi Wahedul Alam, an aviation expert, said joint ground handling with foreign partners is a positive initiative as the quality of service will improve.
"If the Biman turns to joint work with a foreign company, its employees will have to compete with the overseas agents. As a result, the customers will get better services."
The BBA data show currently more than 4.00 million local and international passengers being handled annually at the country's international airports.
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