Regent Airways authorities on Wednesday said that they have taken an initiative for achieving long-term sustainability through fleet and route expansion which starts on the eve of observing its 10th years of journey.
The Regent authorities also trashed reports published by a section of media terming the reports baseless and illogical which said that the private airlines would shut down its operation.
"As we embark into the year 2020 to complete the first decade of operations, we have a clear 2020 vision ahead of us - to be safe and dependable as we have always been, and be the most preferred airline of Bangladesh," Regent Airways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Imran Asif said at press conference in the capital.
During 2020, Regent hopes to get delivery of four Boeing 737-800 aircraft. With a modern fleet of eight such aircraft the airlines plans to expand its network further and increase flight frequencies in existing destinations, he mentioned.
Regent organised the briefing at a city hotel where its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Hanif Zakaria and Director (Sales and Marketing) Sohail Majid were also present.
The airlines will celebrate its 10th founding anniversary in November this year.
Regent will also continue to make investment in new services to add more value for customers in 2020.
The airlines will shortly introduce Regent Screens - the first ever Wi-Fi based in-flight entertainment service in Bangladesh's aviation. The service will allow passengers to enjoy high-quality multimedia content streamed over Wi-Fi directly to their own personal devices - notebooks, tablets, or phones.
Answering various questions, Imran Asif said "Safety remains the top priority for us and we under no conditions are going to compromise with it. Whenever we apprehended any risk in terms of safety and reliability, we have never hesitated to ground our aircraft for necessary maintenance."
Regent Airways holds a good record of never having faced with security intrusion incidents or any major incidents or accidents resulting in injury to its passengers or damage to its aircraft, he noted.
Regent Airways presently operates to Chattogram and Cox's Bazar in the domestic and Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Muscat and Doha on regional and international routes.
"Our main focus is to operate in regional and international destinations than to expand domestic routes. We will think to expand our domestic routes after assessing the market potential and not under the present condition as we think a substantial capacity now exists in the market," he mentioned.
Regent has a plan to open new international routes like Guangzhou, Delhi, Chennai, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2020, he informed.
By the end of this year, Regent's fleet size will be increased to eight while after three years, the fleet may comprise 12 aircraft making the operation more efficient, he said.
Mr Imran also said that the company itself has grounded two of its Boeing aircraft which was done not under any pressure from the regulator.
The airlines has temporarily suspended flight operations to Kathmandu and Bangkok but the authorities said the Bangkok operation will resume soon through fleet recovery. But Kathmandu operation will take some more time depending on the potential of the market, they said.
Mr Imran further said that the growth of aviation sector is interrelated with the sustainable economic growth. Bangladesh has achieved a sustainable high economic growth creating opportunities for the airliners.
"Besides, the construction of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has also opened great opportunity for the airlines operators that could have been done much earlier. The country's infrastructure has a close relation with the airlines industry's growth. Now it is the operators who are responsible to reap the benefit from this opportunities," he stated.
Regarding legal action against Biman Bangladesh Airlines allegedly for spreading fake information like closing down operation by Regent Airways, Mr Imran said he was surprised at 'that kind of apprehension' made by Biman. "It violated Flight Interruption Manifesto (FIM) agreement without any written document and objection from International Air Transport Association (IATA)", he said adding the Regent authorities believe in mutual respect.
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