Ticket reconfirmation no longer mandatory for Biman passengers
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
A Z M Anas
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has almost abolished its decades-long ticket "reconfirmation" system in a bid to alleviate the hassle of passengers, especially frequent flyers, officials said Monday.
The officials said the ailing flag carrier has still kept the system in place for the Middle Eastern routes fearing the potential loss in view of traffic in the Gulf region.
"The ticket reconfirmation is no longer required or mandatory for almost all routes. We've largely abolished it," Biman's new chief executive officer Zakiul Islam said.
Although it involves the risk of vacant seats, Mr Islam said that the national airliner did it in line with the practice of global airlines.
"It's true the ticket reconfirmation system is no longer in practice in the developed world. It also mounts passenger's sufferings," the Biman boss added.
In the past, airlines across the world booked beyond their capacity intended to fill up seats that may go empty in case of a change in the travel plan by some passengers. And a passenger had to reconfirm the tickets with the airlines 72 hours before the planned travel date.
But today, most of the carriers have abolished the practice and levied a penalty charge instead, which in some cases go up to US$ 200.
The Biman chief said it would surely cut the hassle of passengers who were to face untold sufferings for this reconfirmation procedure.
Biman officials said the decision was taken after the civil aviation and tourism ministry asked the flag carrier to phase out the reconfirmation and overbooking system, which is allegedly abused by the airline's corrupt officials.
The national airline's image has been bruised for the prolonged seat crisis, often created on flimsy reasons.
Biman has been in the red for years, with the government-owned company racking up a loss of more than Tk 5.0 billion in the 2008 financial year, highest in a decade.
A section of Biman officials, cashing in on the overbooking system, have been allegedly creating the artificial crisis for years, the corrupt practice has scarred the image of the national airlines.
An aviation industry consultant has welcomed the move, saying it would significantly help drive away the sufferings of air travellers, while also putting a lid on the artificial seat crisis.
Kazi Wahidul Alam, a consultant with the top Gulf carrier Emirates, said it would remove the problems of reconfirmation and overbooking faced by passengers.
He, however, said the reconfirmation system still in place for the Gulf routes is justified as many Bangladeshi migrant workers cannot stick to their original travel schedules while on vacation at home.
The Gulf is home to an estimated 3.5 million Bangladeshis, many of whom work as short-term labourers. Saudi Arabia remains the country's top employer, followed by the United Arab Emirates.
Biman, which became a public limited company in 2007, plans to launch initial public offerings, be listed on stock markets mainly to finance acquisition of new aircraft and route expansion.
Last year, it signed a deal with American aviation giant Boeing to purchase 10 new generation aircraft including B 787 Dreamliner as part of retiring its fuel-guzzling planes, some of which are aged up to 30 years.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has almost abolished its decades-long ticket "reconfirmation" system in a bid to alleviate the hassle of passengers, especially frequent flyers, officials said Monday.
The officials said the ailing flag carrier has still kept the system in place for the Middle Eastern routes fearing the potential loss in view of traffic in the Gulf region.
"The ticket reconfirmation is no longer required or mandatory for almost all routes. We've largely abolished it," Biman's new chief executive officer Zakiul Islam said.
Although it involves the risk of vacant seats, Mr Islam said that the national airliner did it in line with the practice of global airlines.
"It's true the ticket reconfirmation system is no longer in practice in the developed world. It also mounts passenger's sufferings," the Biman boss added.
In the past, airlines across the world booked beyond their capacity intended to fill up seats that may go empty in case of a change in the travel plan by some passengers. And a passenger had to reconfirm the tickets with the airlines 72 hours before the planned travel date.
But today, most of the carriers have abolished the practice and levied a penalty charge instead, which in some cases go up to US$ 200.
The Biman chief said it would surely cut the hassle of passengers who were to face untold sufferings for this reconfirmation procedure.
Biman officials said the decision was taken after the civil aviation and tourism ministry asked the flag carrier to phase out the reconfirmation and overbooking system, which is allegedly abused by the airline's corrupt officials.
The national airline's image has been bruised for the prolonged seat crisis, often created on flimsy reasons.
Biman has been in the red for years, with the government-owned company racking up a loss of more than Tk 5.0 billion in the 2008 financial year, highest in a decade.
A section of Biman officials, cashing in on the overbooking system, have been allegedly creating the artificial crisis for years, the corrupt practice has scarred the image of the national airlines.
An aviation industry consultant has welcomed the move, saying it would significantly help drive away the sufferings of air travellers, while also putting a lid on the artificial seat crisis.
Kazi Wahidul Alam, a consultant with the top Gulf carrier Emirates, said it would remove the problems of reconfirmation and overbooking faced by passengers.
He, however, said the reconfirmation system still in place for the Gulf routes is justified as many Bangladeshi migrant workers cannot stick to their original travel schedules while on vacation at home.
The Gulf is home to an estimated 3.5 million Bangladeshis, many of whom work as short-term labourers. Saudi Arabia remains the country's top employer, followed by the United Arab Emirates.
Biman, which became a public limited company in 2007, plans to launch initial public offerings, be listed on stock markets mainly to finance acquisition of new aircraft and route expansion.
Last year, it signed a deal with American aviation giant Boeing to purchase 10 new generation aircraft including B 787 Dreamliner as part of retiring its fuel-guzzling planes, some of which are aged up to 30 years.