Policy on frequency distribution on country's air routes soon
Monday, 27 July 2009
FE Report
The government has started crafting a policy to regulate allocation of frequencies on Bangladesh's air routes in a move to ease airlines' operations, officials said Sunday.
But critics say the frequency distribution policy is "meaningless" in the Bangladesh context, framing of an aviation policy would be more effective to police the nearly US$ 2.0 billion air travel sector instead.
"Our aim is to bring about transparency in the frequency distribution," a senior official at the civil aviation ministry said Sunday.
"We're, right now, facing difficulties in allocation, reallocation or cancellation of frequencies. So, it's high time to regulate the process," the official added.
Civil aviation authority is drafting the policy and its officials said the aviation regulator would send the draft policy to the aviation ministry in a month or so.
The new move comes at a time when Bangladesh's aviation sector has been steadily growing, although the global aviation industry has been hit by the deepening recession.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Geneva-based trade group, has warned that the cumulative loss of the global aviation industry would top US$ 9.0 billion this year, thanks to the worst aviation downturn since September 11, 2001.
The new policy will allow the government to redistribute frequencies, if needed, every six months, an official involved in the drafting process said.
Once the policy is approved, it will help enhance transparency and accountability of the government, a senior ministry official said.
If an airline fails to utilize the frequency on a particular route, that frequency will be reallocated to other airlines, he added.
If redistributed under the policy, frequency utilization will benefit the foreign carriers operating in Bangladesh mostly, given the limited capacity of local airlines, warned Kazi Wahidul Alam, an aviation industry consultant.
Civil aviation officials said the absence of a proper frequency distribution policy is putting the government at trouble to give flying rights to the private United Airways on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route.
But Best Air, which has suspended its operations for months, has still retained its frequency on one of the key air routes.
Bangladesh has air services agreement with more than 70 nations across the world, but officials say Bangladeshi airlines including the state airliner Biman travel to less than 20 destinations.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. operates to 18 countries around the world and has rights to fly to 42 more.
Mr Alam said since Bangladeshi carriers including the state airline Biman cannot currently utilise their own frequencies, the policy formulation would not spell big changes for them.
Citing Biman's example, Mr Alam, until recently a member of Biman board, said the flag carrier has left its multiple frequencies in New York, London, Riyadh, Dubai and Tokyo unused.
He added that the country's embattled private carrier GMG failed to capitalize frequencies in Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain and Doha allocated in its favour, while Best Air ceased operation, despite having substantial frequencies on some of the country's key air routes.
"So, the question of redistribution of frequencies is irrelevant," he told the FE.
The government has started crafting a policy to regulate allocation of frequencies on Bangladesh's air routes in a move to ease airlines' operations, officials said Sunday.
But critics say the frequency distribution policy is "meaningless" in the Bangladesh context, framing of an aviation policy would be more effective to police the nearly US$ 2.0 billion air travel sector instead.
"Our aim is to bring about transparency in the frequency distribution," a senior official at the civil aviation ministry said Sunday.
"We're, right now, facing difficulties in allocation, reallocation or cancellation of frequencies. So, it's high time to regulate the process," the official added.
Civil aviation authority is drafting the policy and its officials said the aviation regulator would send the draft policy to the aviation ministry in a month or so.
The new move comes at a time when Bangladesh's aviation sector has been steadily growing, although the global aviation industry has been hit by the deepening recession.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Geneva-based trade group, has warned that the cumulative loss of the global aviation industry would top US$ 9.0 billion this year, thanks to the worst aviation downturn since September 11, 2001.
The new policy will allow the government to redistribute frequencies, if needed, every six months, an official involved in the drafting process said.
Once the policy is approved, it will help enhance transparency and accountability of the government, a senior ministry official said.
If an airline fails to utilize the frequency on a particular route, that frequency will be reallocated to other airlines, he added.
If redistributed under the policy, frequency utilization will benefit the foreign carriers operating in Bangladesh mostly, given the limited capacity of local airlines, warned Kazi Wahidul Alam, an aviation industry consultant.
Civil aviation officials said the absence of a proper frequency distribution policy is putting the government at trouble to give flying rights to the private United Airways on Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route.
But Best Air, which has suspended its operations for months, has still retained its frequency on one of the key air routes.
Bangladesh has air services agreement with more than 70 nations across the world, but officials say Bangladeshi airlines including the state airliner Biman travel to less than 20 destinations.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. operates to 18 countries around the world and has rights to fly to 42 more.
Mr Alam said since Bangladeshi carriers including the state airline Biman cannot currently utilise their own frequencies, the policy formulation would not spell big changes for them.
Citing Biman's example, Mr Alam, until recently a member of Biman board, said the flag carrier has left its multiple frequencies in New York, London, Riyadh, Dubai and Tokyo unused.
He added that the country's embattled private carrier GMG failed to capitalize frequencies in Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain and Doha allocated in its favour, while Best Air ceased operation, despite having substantial frequencies on some of the country's key air routes.
"So, the question of redistribution of frequencies is irrelevant," he told the FE.