[🇧🇩] Aviation Industry in Bangladesh

[Saif]

Biman to return on Dhaka-Rome route after nine years

Biman Bangladesh Airlines started selling tickets for flights on the Dhaka-Rome-Dhaka route yesterday as the national flag carrier is set to resume operations to connect the country with the European city from March 26.

www.thedailystar.net

Biman to return on Dhaka-Rome route after nine years​

Biman Bangladesh Airlines started selling tickets for flights on the Dhaka-Rome-Dhaka route yesterday as the national flag carrier is set to resume operations to connect the country with the European city from March 26.

Tickets for the route are up for grabs at all of Biman's distribution channels, Biman said in a press release.

On December 21, Biman Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim announced the resumption of the flight after nearly nine years from March 26 marking Independence Day.

Between March 26 and March 31, flight BG-355 will depart Dhaka every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 2am local time and reach Rome at 7am local time.

From April 1, the flight will fly from Dhaka on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays at 3am as per the summer schedule and arrive in the capital of Italy at 9:10am.

The flight will leave Rome at 10:45am and land in Dhaka at 11:45pm.

The minimum one-way fare on the economy class on the Dhaka-Rome route, including all taxes, will start at Tk 64,355 and the round-trip will cost Tk 104,568. The business class ticket will be priced at Tk 144,105 and Tk 258,568 for the one-way trip and the round trip, respectively.

On the Rome-Dhaka route, the minimum one-way economy class fare will start from Tk 48,788 and Tk 89,852 for the round trip.
The one-way and round-trip fares for the business class will start at Tk 122,663 and Tk 222,236, respectively, the press release said.

Currently, Biman is offering special discounts on the occasion of the resumption of flights on the route. The flight will be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Biman's began to fly to Rome in 1981 and it was discontinued in 2015 due to persisting losses.​

 

[Saif]

Aircraft purchase: Boeing submits proposal to Biman

US Ambassador Peter Haas today said this to Civil Aviation Minister Mohammad Faruk Khan

www.thedailystar.net

Aircraft purchase: Boeing submits proposal to Biman​

File photo

US plane giant Boeing has submitted a proposal to Biman Bangladesh Airlines for selling its aircraft.

US Ambassador Peter Haas today said this to Civil Aviation Minister Mohammad Faruk Khan while paying a courtesy call at his office in the secretariat at the capital.​

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"Boeing has given a proposal for selling new aircraft to Biman Bangladesh Airlines. We want Boeing to be able to part of the purchasing process and it is done through a transparent competition," Haas told reporters emerging from the meeting.

In response, the civil aviation minister said the US definitely wants more Boeing aircraft to be added to the Biman fleet.

"However, we will consider everything, including the financial and technical aspects, and then take the decision. We will buy aircraft from either Boeing or Airbus, whichever is beneficial for Bangladesh," Faruk said.

Asked when the audit of Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) of US can be completed regarding the resumption of direct flights between Dhaka to New York, the minister said an audit team of International Civil Aviation Organization is currently working at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

The minister said Bangladesh and the US will work together as partners to develop the country's tourism and aviation industry.
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[Saif]

AirAsia recognizes Bangladesh’s outstanding 20 top travel agencies

AirAsia celebrates yet another significant milestone, recognizing and applauding the continuous efforts of its travel agents in Bangladesh at the AirAsia Agents Conference 2024....

www.newagebd.net

AirAsia recognizes Bangladesh’s outstanding 20 top travel agencies​

United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka | Published: 22:37, Feb 21,2024

-- UNB photo.

AirAsia celebrates yet another significant milestone, recognizing and applauding the continuous efforts of its travel agents in Bangladesh at the AirAsia Agents Conference 2024.

The event was graced by the presence of esteemed guests, including Thailand ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor, Group chief executive officer of AirAsia Aviation Group, Bo Lingam, chief revenue and network officer of AirAsia, Paul Carroll, chairman of TAS GrouK M Mozibul Hoque as well as other board members.

Notable dignitaries from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and embassy officials were also in attendance, highlighting the significance of the occasion held at the prestigious Pan Pacific Sonargaon Ballroom.

Organized by Total Air Services Limited (TAS), a subsidiary of TAS Group, this conference serves as a platform to honour top-performing agents that have excelled in sales through the General Sales Agents (GSA) of AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia Thailand in Bangladesh.

The AirAsia Grand Agents Grand Conference 2024 also aims to strengthen existing partnerships with agents whilst fostering a sense of community and appreciation, bringing together key stakeholders comprising top travel agencies, airline executives, government officials and industry leaders.

During the conference, AirAsia bestowed prestigious awards to 20 top-performing travel agencies in Bangladesh with pivotal achievements.

These agencies were commended for their exceptional sales performances and steadfast support in promoting AirAsia’s offerings to travellers across the country.

Additionally, AirAsia expressed its heartfelt appreciation to 16 travel agencies for their exemplary sales support, presenting them with certificates of recognition.

AirAsia Aviation Group Limited Group CEO, Bo Lingam said: ‘I would like to wholeheartedly commend the dedicated travel agents in Bangladesh for their continued effort and congratulate our well-deserving agents on their outstanding accomplishments. The diligence of their craft is truly inspiring to us all. Bangladesh is one of our most important markets in Asia, with AirAsia having flown 503,628 guests between Malaysia and Bangladesh to date - and counting. I look forward to welcoming more achievements by the team, further cementing the AirAsia brand in the country.’

Total Air Services Limited has been a trusted partner of AirAsia Malaysia since 2015, serving as the airline’s General Sales Agent in Bangladesh.

Over the years, TAS has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to promoting AirAsia’s services i n the region and beyond.

AirAsia currently operates 14 weekly flights from Dhaka to Kuala Lumpur and 2 weekly flights between Dhaka and Bangkok, providing travelers with convenient and affordable travel options to various destinations.

This strategic partnership between TAS Group and AirAsia continues to drive growth and innovation in the aviation industry, contributing to the development of Bangladesh.​

 

[Bilal9]

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka's new 700 crore Thales FIR Radar is now ready to go.



The Dhaka airport will get a modern radar with an air traffic control system in next three years aimed at enhancing the country's airspace safety and security.

The radar currently in use at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport belongs to instrument landing system (ILS) category, while the new one falls under communication, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) category.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU), jointly drafted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and radar manufacturer Thales LAS France SAS, was signed on November 3 last year to implement the plan under a government-to-government (G2G) deal.

The procurement proposal was approved at a virtual meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Thursday.

The installation of the radar is expected to take roughly three years and will cost Tk658.4 crore, according to CAAB. The project is expected to be completed by June 2023 with full government funding, according to the MoU.

The agreement would cover the supply, installation and operation of navigation and surveillance systems, including radar and related air traffic management equipment.

According to the deal, the data collected through the radar must be kept secret by the French company to ensure that airspace security is not compromised.

An industry insider, seeking anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to media, said: “We have a long maritime boundary and it’s not possible to charge flights that use our airspace at present. The whole area cannot be covered with the existing radar. On top of that, take-off, landing and traffic management are very risky with this radar.”

The government decided to purchase the new radar after considering all these aspects, he said, adding: “After the new radar is installed, it will be possible to cover our entire maritime area, allowing the government to earn more revenues and ensuring airspace safety.”

The International Court of Arbitration had awarded Bangladesh the right to an area of about 19,000 square kilometers of the Bay of Bengal in 2014.

However, the 37-year-old analogue radar currently installed at the airport cannot detect foreign aircrafts flying over the sea, according to CAAB.

The new radar will increase surveillance over Bangladesh’s territorial waters and airspace. It will also allow Bangladesh to collect fines from trespassing aircrafts, which are required to pay a minimum of $500 for a single infringement.

Moreover, the new system will be able to detect aircrafts that are landing or taking off. Such procedures have to be conducted with an element of risk due to the current radar’s inability to detect such activity.

 

[Bilal9]

 

[Saif]

Work underway for smart aviation industry: Faruk Khan

Civil aviation and tourism minister Muhammad Faruk Khan today (Sunday) said that efforts are underway to transform the country's aviation industry to smart, efficient and service oriented one. "To make Bangladesh's aviation sector into a smart one, we are emphasizing on creating skilled manpow

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Work underway for smart aviation industry: Faruk Khan​

BSS

Published :​

Feb 25, 2024 22:26

Updated :​

Feb 25, 2024 22:26

Civil aviation and tourism minister Muhammad Faruk Khan today (Sunday) said that efforts are underway to transform the country's aviation industry to smart, efficient and service oriented one.

"To make Bangladesh's aviation sector into a smart one, we are emphasizing on creating skilled manpower, developing infrastructure and modern security systems at all airports," he said.

The minister told a meeting with the representatives of foreign airlines operating flights to or from Bangladesh held at the Parjatan Bhaban in the capital, a press release said.

Emphasizing on the providing optimum service towards the passengers, Khan said that airlines should be alert for reducing unnecessary harassment of passengers.

"I believe, working all together, every airline can operate flights from Bangladesh more easily, safely and efficiently... It will be easy to fulfill the goal of transforming Bangladesh into a major aviation hub under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina", he said.

Talking about the profit remitting of the foreign airliners from Bangladesh, Faruk Khan said the ministry is working with the Bangladesh Bank in this regard.

He said some portion of the airlines profit has already been remitted from Bangladesh while process is ongoing to increase the amount.

Besides, the minister assured that he will discuss with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) about the different taxation matters and easy and prompt custom clearance of aviation related equipment which are imported by the airlines.

Khan said the effort to upgrade Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) from Category-1 to Category-2 for Instrument Landing System (ILS) is underway for safe landings.

Besides, he said the ILS system has been installed in the airports in Sylhet, Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.

Feasibility study of constructing the dependent runway of HSIA has been completed and soon the next phase of this work will start soon, he added.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain, Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman and Biman Bangladesh Airlines CEO and Managing Director Shafiul Azim were also present, among others.​

 

[Bilal9]

Dhaka Airport 3rd Terminal getting ready for handover in April 2024 passenger service later in the year.