Photo: Collected
International airlines are increasing in passenger transportation in the country. Ethiopian Airlines and Air China are going to join with the existing 25 local and international airlines. They use Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to transport passengers on various routes around the world. These two airlines are going to start flight operations this May.
The two airlines will start flight operations from the middle of this month after receiving the final approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). For this, CAAB has asked Biman Bangladesh Airlines to get prepared for providing ground handling services at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport.
It is known that more than 25 domestic and international airlines are currently using Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to transport passengers to 52 different routes of the world.
Notable among these are Air Arabia, Air Asia, Air Astra, Air India Express, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Dragon Air, Drukair, Paro Emirates, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Jet Airways, Kuwait Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Maldivian Airways, Qatar Airways, RAK Airways, Saudi Arabian, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, Turkish Airlines and Yemenia Airways. They are getting joined by China Air and Ethiopian Airlines.
Air Vice Marshal Mofidur Rahman, chairman of the CAAB, said in this context that the number of companies currently operating flights from Dhaka to various routes locally and internationally is 25. These two are getting connected with this. This number will increase when the third terminal will be opened. With the increase in flights, the revenue of the country will also increase.
He said that measures are being taken so that the two airlines can start flights to Dhaka from the middle of this month. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has been informed about this. Besides, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has been informed to provide ground handling services.
Ethiopian Airlines is currently operating three weekly non-scheduled cargo flights in offline from Dhaka. Ethiopian Airlines is preparing to start passenger flights between Addis Ababa and Dhaka from next month. Apart from this there are plans to operate direct cargo flights in future. Ethiopian Airlines operates with 147 aircraft. It is Africa's largest airline in terms of passenger carrying, fleet size and revenue. It is ranked as the fourth largest airline in the world.
In this context, Sohag Hossain, Managing Director of Rhythm Group, General Sales Agent (GSA) of Ethiopian Airlines in Bangladesh, said that preparations are being made to start Addis Ababa-Dhaka-Addis Ababa direct flights subject to the permission of CAAB. Flights to Dhaka will be operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Initially five flights will be operated a week.
He said, “All other necessary activities including taking the permission of CAAB have already been completed. We will be able to start flight operations from the middle of this month.”
It is to be noted that after a series of diplomatic efforts between the two countries, the civil aviation authorities of Ethiopia and Bangladesh signed this air service agreement on December 6 last year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, from the same time, China's main and flag bearer airline, Air China is going to operate flights from Bangladesh to China's Beijing route for the first time. Mainly businessmen and students from Bangladesh regularly travel to China.
Air China will initially operate 2 flights a week on this route, CAAB sources said. Air China has informed the Biman Flight Catering Center (BFCC) about the arrangement of in-flight meals.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines are currently operating regular flights on the Guangzhou route from Bangladesh. Besides, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines are taking Bangladeshis to China.
Messenger/Fameema
