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Bangladesh is a republic in southern Asia, in the north-eastern portion of the Indian subcontinent, bordered on the west, north, and east by India, on the southeast by Myanmar (formerly Burma), and on the south by the Bay of Bengal. The area of the country is 147,570 sq km (56,977 sq mi). The capital and largest city of Bangladesh is Dhaka. AIRLINES
Status AirlineOperational
DatesICAO - IATA
Genealogy Tree
Update Reason
XAero Bengal Airlines
1995 - 2000
>Air Bangladesh
1972 Biman
Bangladesh
!Air Bangladesh
2003* - 2006*
!Air Bengal
- Country (from
India)
XAir Parabat
1998 - 2001
?Ayesha Airways
2001?
!Best Air
2004* - 2006*
#Biman Bangladesh
1972 - >>BG - BBC
Biman Bangladesh
!Bismillah Airlines
1999 - 2006*
#GMG Airlines
1998 - >>Z5 -
CMG
XSouth Asia Airways
2001 - 2002*
#South Asian Airlines
2003 - >> BDS
! South East Asian Airlines
2004* - 2006*
#United Airways
2007 - >> 4H
!Z Airways (Z-Airlines)
2004* - 2006* ZAW
Status DescriptionX Airline ceased operating > Airline merged into another carrier
Status AirlineOperational
DatesICAO - IATA
Genealogy Tree
Update Reason
? Unsure if started operations (investigation in progress)~ Unsure if an actual airline (investigation in progress)
! Insufficient information to determine status (investigation in progress)
# Currently operational + In the planning stage
2006*The asterisk denotes that the start and/or end date are earliest/latest proven dates
2004^ -^ shows the formation date as the actual operational start date is not known at present
JOY Aero*The asterisk behind the airline shows this is not 100% sure of the airline's country of origin
(Ceylon) Countries with brackets are now defunct[Scandinavia] Regions, not specific countries
GMG Airlines is an airline based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the GMG Group of Companies, it is Bangladesh's leading private airline operating domestic, regional, and international services. Its main base is Zia International Airport, Dhaka.[1]
History
The airline was established in 1997 and started operations on 6 April 1998. It is wholly owned by the industrial conglomerate GMG Group. It began with domestic operations and launched international services on 8 September 2004, with a service from Chittagong to Kolkata.[1] GMG began regular flights to Bangkok, Delhi, and Kathmandu on October 20, 2006. It started services to Kuala Lumpur on 24 January 2007. GMG's current international destinations are Kolkata, Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. The airline is scheduled to start operations to Singapore, Hong Kong, Karachi, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait, and Muscat within 2007 and is currently in the process of expanding its fleet. GMG is the first and only private airline in Bangladesh to fly overseas.[2]
Fleet (to be expanded)
The GMG Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft (as of November 2007):[1] :
GMG Fleet
Type Total Routes Notes
Boeing 767-300ER (2 on order) International
Boeing 737-800 (2 on order) International
Boeing MD-82 2 International S2-ADM, S2-ADO
Bombardier Dash 8 Q100 1 Domestic S2-AAA
Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 2 Domestic S2-ACT, S2-ADX
First Class is Offered Only On Selected Routes.
Livery
The main body of the planes are white. The belly, and a small bit of the side are blue with yellow stripes. The tail is dark blue with the emblem of the Golden Deer.
GMG Airlines IATAZ5 ICAOGMG CallsignGMG Founded 1998 Hubs Zia International Airport Focus cities Dhaka Frequent flyer program Golden Deer Club Fleet size 5 (4 more on order) Destinations 11 (19) Parent company GMG Group Company slogan First Class All the Way Headquarters Dhaka Key people Abdus Sattar (Chairman) Shahab Sattar (MD) Website: www.gmgairlines.com
GMG AIRLINES
Background
GMG Airlines started its operations on 6th April, 1998 and today it has geared up the concept of domestic air travel in Bangladesh by providing exceptional service which is valued & cherished by all travelers.
While we continue to strive for improvement, we are pleased with our achievements, and proud of the elevated stratum of service we provide to our ever-increasing number of patrons.
GMG Airlines name is written in golden letters in the aviation history of Bangladesh when it became the only private airline of Bangladesh to fly on international routes. This historical event took place on 8th September 2004 on our first international flight from Chittagong to Kolkata.
Our Values
Many passengers who fly with us are pleasantly surprised by the warm, very welcoming & efficient standard of our ground and in-flight services. This service notion is portrayed in our ethics "First Class All the Way". We always strive to make the travel of our guest an enjoyable, relaxing and a stress-free experience.
Everything we do is geared towards one main objective - to bring the pleasure of air travel to you in a safe, secure and efficient manner. We are in
incessant quest to set standards which other competing airlines are seeking to match.
We always seek to serve our guests and gain their trust, goodwill and loyalty and when you travel with GMG Airlines you are assured of receiving high quality of service and reliable, comfortable and efficient operations.
Our Network
GMG Airlines now operates from Dhaka to Barisal, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Jessore & Sylhet on the domestic network and to Kolkata (India) on the international routes.
Reliability
An unbeatable record of on-time flights and providing benefits to our guests by having interline arrangements with majority of leading world airlines has helped us to earn passenger’s confidence.
Our Team
Our organization is based on team spirit with every one working together to ensure mutual success.
We are managed by an extensive team of airline professionals with many years experience gained from leading carriers around the world and every team member is accountable for the successful execution of his/her duties, commitments and obligations, and to strive to lead by example.
The environment ensures that every employee can contribute skills, talents and ideas to a never-ending process of improvement and innovation in all aspects of our business.
Future Plans
Over the next few months, we will be introducing a whole range of fresh ideas and an approach to service that is altogether different. Much of this comes from ideas and suggestions from our guests: many of the "little things" that can make or mar any flight gain a whole new significance at GMG Airlines.
This year and in the year’s ahead GMG Airlines will continue to operate with insight & innovation by providing passengers with increasingly modern & comfortable aircraft and expanding it’s network to cover more destinations like Mumbai, Chennai, Colombo, Male, Kathmandu & Bangkok
OUR PEOPLE:
This high level of success, respect, trust, credibility & goodwill would not have been possible without the support of the employees. The management strategy at GMG Airlines has created an atmosphere where each & every staff irrespective of designation proudly associates oneself as GMG family. The feelings and the sense of belongingness has actuated tremendous spirit and dynamism in the course of business. The interpersonal relationship between the line and staff authority is cordial & friendly enough to bring the whole team close to each other.
R E C R U I T M E N T
GMG Airlines has a very stiff & rigid policy when it comes to recruiting staff. The scale of measurement during recruitment is high enough to ensure person's competency to ensure efficient contribution to the company's objectives. Only the finest candidates with a very high degree of communication skills are selected to ensure that customers get warm, friendly, prompt & professional attention and comfort in their interaction with us - relatively unknown in this part of the world.
T R A I N I N G
Regular in-house training programs are conducted to increase the staff skills and assistance from outside professional training agencies is also regularly seeked and stress laid to ensure that every staff is fully equipped with not only the latest developments in the industry and technology but also on his / her personality development, tips on customer service & development of interpersonal skills. All this ensures that customers get prompt, efficient, & pleasing service - First Class All the Way.
INTERLINE PARTNERS :
GMG Airlines is a member partner in Multilateral Interline Traffic Agreement. It is also a member of IATA Clearing House facilitating a smooth Settlement of revenue transactions.
GMG Airline's interline agreement with reputed international airlines has ensured prompt & convenient countrywide connections.
GMG Airlines is in interline agreement with many international airlines including British Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways, Air France, Air China, PIA, JAS, Turkish Airlines, Indian Airlines, Air Namibia, Garuda Indonesia, Thai Airways, Yemen Airways, Tunis Air, Syrian Air and Singapore Airlines to mention a few, to provide trouble free connecting fights to and from abroad.
Corporate OfficeABC House (10th Floor)8, Kemal Ataturk AvenueBanani C/A, Dhaka-1213BangladeshTel :+ 880-2-8825845 (hunt.)Fax :+ 880-2-8826115E-mail : [email protected]
Customer ServiceE-mail : [email protected]
BIMAN BANGLADESH................................................
BIMAN AT A GLANCE
Name & Logo:Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited.White strok flying across the red sun.
Chairman, Board of Directors:The Honourable Cabinet Secretary, Govt. of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO): The Managing Director
Corporate Head Quarter:"Balaka Bhaban", Biman Head Office, KurmitolaDhaka-1229, Bangladesh
Fleet:5 (Five) DC-10-30s, 4(Four) A310-300s, 4(Four) F-28s
Destinations: 18 International Destiinations Hong Kong in the East to London in the West
Founding Day: January 04, 1972
Slogan: Your Home in the Sky
Biman is the national carrier of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The corporate body is 'Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd' while the trading name is Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Biman is a member of IATA. Incorporated in Bangladesh, it came into being on January 04, 1972 initially with a Second World War vintage Dakota, DC-3, a gift from the Air force.
Biman's domestic services with the DC-3 were commanded within a month of its inception. Its real journey as an airline started with the acquisition of one Boeing 707 and
four F-27 aircraft. Entry into the 'Big League' began with induction of three DC10-30s in 1983, which were acquired on the basis of route network and available traffic rights. The fleet is now consisted of 4 wide-body DC10-30s, three mid-haul Airbus A-310-300s and four F-28s regional jets. Biman is in the process of procuring more aircraft for its fleet. Presently Biman offers services to 18 international destinations.
Biman is now paying attention to making, the airline more attractive to the traveling people by fixing the priority on two objectives. One is to provide more comfort to the passengers and the other is to maintain schedule regularity. The airline has already brought some qualitative changes in its ground and in-flight services. Biman has built its own ancillary and maintenance facilities. Presently Biman does entire maintenance work on its F-28 aircraft. Biman is also doing its own C-check, D-check on DC-10-30s and Airbus A310-300 in its wide body hangar at Dhaka. Checks, repair and maintenance of one DC-10-30, one wide bodied Boeing and two F-28 aircraft can be done at a time in Biman's own wide body hangar.
Biman Flight Catering Center (BFCC) - modern flight kitchen of the airlines, has the capacity of producing 8500 meals a day and is providing excellent cuisine not only to Biman but also to some other international airlines operating to and from Dhaka. To meet the growing needs of Biman's manpower, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Training Center (BATC) has been training its ground, flight service and technical personnel since its inception.
The airline's Reservation and Departure Control System and other communication systems have been fully computerized. Biman is continuously making effort for office automation in order to improve the traffic productivity. It is also making effort to introduce Computerized Revenue Accounting in order to raise real revenue. In addition to Biman's own aircraft, the experienced ground-handling units also providing support for number of foreign airlines at Zia International Airport (ZIA).
Biman Poultry Complex, a potential subsidiary of Biman was formed in 1976 and was put into operation in November 1980 to create a profit earning concern to augment the cash flow of Biman. The complex is situated at Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka, 40 km North-West of Dhaka City.
Keeping pace with trends and technology of the time coupled with a perspective plan for the future which embraces all aspects of an international airline and overall improvement in situation, the carrier is now confidently looking forward to the future .
Biman Flight Catering Center (BFCC) - a modern flight kitchen of the airlines, has the capacity of producing 8500 meals a day and is providing excellent cuisine not only to Biman but also to other international airlines such as Aeroflot, Gulf Air, Iran Air, Qatar Airlines, Druk Airways, Dragon Airlines, which are operating through Dhaka. To meet the growing needs of Biman's manpower, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Training Center (BATC) has been training its ground, flight service and technical personnel. The center has also been turned into a seat of training and technical seminars for other
agencies including some foreign airlines. The airlines reservations and departure control other communications system as well have been fully computerized. Biman is continuously making efforts for office automation in order to improve the traffic productivity. It is also making efforts to introduce Computerised Revenue Accounting System in order to raise real revenue. In addition to Biman's own Aircraft the experienced ground handling units also providing support for number of Foreign Airlines at Zia Int'l Airport. Namely, British Airways, Dragon air, Druk Air, Emirates, Gulf Air, Indian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Malaysia Airline System, Oman Air, PIA, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Singapore Airlines,Thai Airways etc.Biman Poultry Complex, a potential subsidiary of Biman was formed in 1976 which was put into operation in November 1980 to create profit earning concern to augment cash flow of Biman. The Complex is situated at Ganakbari, Savar, Dhaka, 40 Km North-West of Dhaka City. This project has a landed area of 75 acres, of which 5 acres poultry shed, 1 acre residential area and remaining 69 acres are agricultural land. Keeping pace with trends and technology of the time along with a perspective plan for the future which embraces all aspects of an international airline and overall improvement in situation the carrier is now confidently looking forward to the future.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd the national flag carrier of Bangladesh has started its journey from scratch virtually with no aircraft, no ancilliaries. It came into operation immediately after the war of independence. Despite many odds on its journey towards a long and challenging way to progress, Biman has been able to establish its reputation as an airline of welcome smile and an ocean of hospitality.Biman now carries the nation's flag to South Asia, South-East Asia and Far-East, Gulf and Middle-East region and Europien. A steady progress has been made with better services ensuring increased passengers. To make Biman passengers feel "once Biman always Biman" the airline has recently brought in some qualitative changes in its service concept. Biman has been aiming in achieving the goal of being truly international commercially viable airline of the region with its warmth and friendliness, care, safety record, traditional hospitality and comfort of the services it offered.Biman is now flying even higher with great pride around the globe with the bi-colour, the nation's flag
Biman Bangladesh Airlines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •
Jump to: navigation, searchBiman Bangladesh Airlines
বি�মা�ন ���লা�দেশ
IATABG
ICAOBBC
CallsignBANGLADESH
Founded 1972
Hubs Zia International Airport
Frequent flyer program Frequent Flyer Programme[1]
SubsidiariesBiman Flight Catering CentreBiman Poultry ComplexBiman Airlines Training Center
Fleet size 12 (7 in active service)
Destinations 23
Company slogan Your home in the sky
Headquarters Dhaka, Bangladesh
Key people Dr. Abdul Momen (CEO & MD)
Website: www.bimanair.com
Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Bangla:বি�মা�ন ���লা�দেশ) is the national airline of Bangladesh, based at Zia International Airport in Dhaka. It provides domestic as well as international service to Asia and Europe, but derives most of its revenue from flights to Osmani International Airport,[2] Sylhet. It has Air Service Agreements with 42 countries; it maintains flights to 18. Until July 2007 the airline was owned by the Government of Bangladesh; on 23 July 2007, it was transformed into Bangladesh's largest Public Limited Company by the then Caretaker government of Bangladesh.[3]
Created in February 1972, Biman operated an internal monopoly in Bangladesh until 1996.[4] Dogged by corruption and accidents, the airline suffers from an ageing fleet, with some of its long-haul aircraft banned for safety reasons from the US and EU member states. Annual Hajj flights, labour migrants[5] as well as Biman's subsidiaries, form an important part of the carrier's business. Biman has a 2 star ranking out of 5 by Skytrax,[6] a United Kingdom-based consultancy.
Contents
[hide] 1 History 2 Management
o 2.1 Privatisation 3 Services
o 3.1 Biman Cargo 4 Destinations
o 4.1 New York and Manchester o 4.2 Hajj flights
5 Fleet o 5.1 Modernisation o 5.2 Current fleet
6 Subsidiaries 7 Incidents and accidents 8 References
9 External links
[edit] History
See also: History of aviation in Bangladesh
Boeing 707 at London Stansted in 1979
Biman Bangladesh Airlines was established on 4 January 1972 to be Bangladesh's national airline under the Bangladesh Biman Ordinance (Presidential Order No. 126).[7][8] The initiative to launch the national flag carrier, was taken by 2,500 former employees, including 10 Boeing 707 commanders and 7 other pilots, of Pakistan International Airlines, who submitted a proposal to the government on 31 December 1971 following the independence of Bangladesh.[9] The airline was initially called Air Bangladesh International but was soon renamed Biman Bangladesh Airlines.[10]
Biman is a Bengali word meaning airplane; it originates from the Sanskrit word vimana, a name given to a flying machine mentioned in ancient Vedic literature. The logo, painted on the tail, is a stylised white stork (Balaka in Bengali) inside a red circle. The initial livery was a dark blue line extending across the aircraft along the windows and engulfing the tail section. This was replaced in the 1980s by dark green and red lines, matching the colours of the Bangladesh flag, and has remained in place for over two decades. The Balaka has also given its name to the Biman headquarters, the Balaka Bhaban (Balaka Building),[11] and a landmark sculpture in Dhaka depicting storks is in front of Biman's former headquarters.[12]
On 4 February 1972, Biman started its domestic service on the Dhaka–Chittagong, Dhaka–Jessore and Dhaka–Sylhet routes with a World War II vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas DC-3, both gifts from the Bangladesh Air Force.[9][13] On 10 February 1972, Biman experienced its first accident when the Douglas DC-3 crashed near Dhaka during
a flight test, killing all five crew members.[14] A Douglas DC-6 was immediately leased from Troll Air, a Norwegian airline,[15] to keep the domestic service running.[9] On 4 March 1972, Biman started its international operations with a once-a-week flight to London using a Boeing 707 chartered from British Caledonian.[9] The short haul fleet was supplemented by a Fokker F27 from India on 3 March 1972 which saw the start of a daily flight between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Dhaka on 28 April 1972.[16] Three additional Fokker F27s were acquired during March and September of the same year bringing the number of Fokker F27 aircraft to four.[9] In the first year of operation, Biman operated 1,079 flights carrying just over 380,000 passengers.[17]
Four additional Fokker F27s, purchased from Australia and the Netherlands, joined the fleet in 1973 enabling Biman to double the frequency of the Kolkata flight to a twice daily service.[16] A Boeing 707 was added to the fleet in September and the flight to London became twice weekly, while a Chittagong-Kolkata flight also began operating at the same time.[16] In 1974 operations were extended to Kathmandu (February), Bangkok (November) and Dubai (December).[16] In 1976, Biman sold two of its Fokker F27s and bought another Boeing 707 to extend international services to Abu Dhabi, Karachi and Mumbai.[16] Singapore was added to Biman's list of international destinations, when a third Boeing 707 was purchased in February 1977, followed by Jeddah, Doha and Amsterdam the following year which also saw the purchase of its fourth Boeing 707, from the United States.[16] In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector corporation to be governed by a board of directors appointed by the government.[16] The airline broke-even for the first time in 1977–78, and made a profit the following year.[17] International destinations expanded to include Kuala Lampur, Athens, Muscat and Tripoli in 1979, followed by Yangon, Tokyo and Dhahran in 1980.[16]
Airbus A310-300 landing
In 1983, three Douglas DC-10s joined the fleet and the airline started to phase out the Boeing 707s.[16][13] The network expanded further to include Baghdad (1983), Paris (1984) and Bahrain (1986).[16] On 4 August 1984, Biman faced its worst accident when a Fokker F27 flying in from Chittagong crashed near Dhaka, killing all 49 on board including Captain Kaniz Fatema Roksana, the airline's first female pilot.[18] The long haul fleet was supplemented by the purchase of two new Airbus A310s in 1996 followed by the addition of two more in 2000, from Singapore Airlines and Air Jamaica, and another in 2003.[19]
In the 2005–06 fiscal year, Biman carried 1.15 million passengers, a growth of 70% from the previous decade's average. However, with the rise of private domestic carriers in Bangladesh, Biman's market share for domestic passengers dropped by 35% over the
previous ten years' average, with only 162,000 passengers travelling with Biman in the domestic sector in the 2005–06 fiscal year. During the same period, Biman reported its biggest annual loss of over US$120 million (Tk8.3 billion), with a US$100 million (Tk6.9 billion) loss reported the following year.[20] Biman also fell behind millions of dollars in payments to its fuel supplier, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.[21]
[edit] Management
The airline was wholly owned by the Bangladesh government through the Bangladesh Biman Corporation since its inception. In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector corporation which afforded Biman limited autonomy, governed by a board of directors appointed by the government.[16] The authorised share capital was increased to Tk2 billion in 1987,[22] and Biman was transformed into a public limited company, the largest in Bangladesh, in 2007.
During the late 1980s, Hossain Mohammad Ershad, President of Bangladesh at the time, served as president of Biman. After an early period of expansion and growth, Biman entered an era of nose-diving profits and slow growth, exacerbated by incompetent and corrupt management; with padding of purchases, falsified repair bills and unprofitable routes kept in operation for political reasons.[23][24] Research conducted in 1996 found that Biman had 5,253 non-flying personnel, 30% more than Singapore Airlines which had almost a ten-times larger fleet. The report described Biman as "poorly managed, overstaffed, undercapitalized, and subject to excessive political interference in its day-to-day management."[25]
In the 1992–93 fiscal year, accounts under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism revealed that Tk22 million in tax was not paid to the Government. The audit carried out in 1999, also showed that Biman was owed Tk2.2 million by travel agents from the proceeds of ticket sales, most likely with the collusion of Biman officials.[26] Additionally, Tk2.4 million was overpaid as incentive commission to the sales agents in violation of Biman policies. In 2007, the caretaker government launched an anti-corruption drive which saw the arrest of Shamim Iskander, the brother of ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia and a former Biman flight engineer, on multiple corruption charges.[27] This was shortly followed by the forced retirement of 35 other employees and officials, some of whom were close aides of Iskander.[28]
[edit] Privatisation
Due to the growing losses, which began in the late 1990s,[29][30] the government offered 40% of Biman to foreign airlines in 2004, hoping a buyer would take over the management of the carrier. However, the proposal demanded that many decision-making rights remain with the Bangladesh government, and the offer was ignored by outside airlines. A similar initiative in 1998 cost Biman US$1.6 million in consultancy fees with no positive results.[31]
In May 2007, the caretaker government approved plans to turn Biman into a Public Limited Company with shareholdings split between seven public sector organisations.[32] As a part of the restructuring, the government put in place a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to reduce the man-equipment ratio (MER) of 367:1 (ratio of manpower to aircraft). The industry average at the time was 200:1, with other Asian airlines operating with MERs of around 150:1.[33] The VRS provided compensation based on length of service, at a cost to the government of over US$40 million. While Biman management had expected to reduce its workforce by 1,600 personnel, 2,162 applications for VRS were received, many from employees who expected to be dismissed with little or no severance if the quota was not achieved. Biman accepted 1,877 applications and affirmed that key personnel would not be allowed to leave the organisation via VRS.[34][33]
On 23 July 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd became the largest Public Limited Company in Bangladesh.[3] Earlier suggestions that the airline should be renamed Bangladesh Airlines Ltd were rejected.[35] The government is the sole shareholder of the 1.5 billion shares but intends to offer 49% to the private sector while retaining majority ownership.[36] The previous Managing Director, Dr. Abdul Momen, was appointed the CEO as well as MD in the new organisation. The six board of directors have been appointed from the ministries of energy, commerce, finance, civil aviation, foreign affairs and the cabinet division with the cabinet secretary taking on the role as Chairman. The six secretaries and a joint secretary to the civil aviation ministry have been made the seven shareholders of the new PLC.[36]
Following the privatisation, an initiative was launched by ex-Biman employees, who left the organisation via the VRS, to setup a competing airline.[37] Names proposed for the airline included Air Bangla International, Biman Employees Airlines and Balaka.[38] They were joined by previous managing directors of Biman, along with the former president of the Bangladesh Airline Pilots' Association.[37]
[edit] Services
Biman is notable for poor customer service and regular disruptions to its flight schedule including lengthy delays and cancellations which is reflected in its Star ranking from Skytrax,[39][6] a United Kingdom-based consultancy whose research is used by the UK government in formulating air transport policy.[40] The 2 star ranking (out of 5) is indicative of the poor standard of service provided by the airline which falls below the industry average.[41] In 2007, Biman faced strong criticism from major international airports including Heahthrow and Dubai International Airport for its failure to maintain flight schedules. Heathrow Airport operator BAA, wrote to Biman providing evidence which showed Biman had not achieved the minimum 80% usage of its allocated landing slots at Heathrow, as required by EU and IATA regulations, during summer 2007. Biman should therefore not expect slot allocations at Heathrow for summer 2008 and should look to Stanstead or Gatwick airports if it wished to continue serving London.[42] However, following discussions with BAA, Biman obtained landing slots for the summer 2008 period on condition that it achieved 80% usage.[43]
A two-class service (J & Y) is operated on its wide-body airliners and a single class service on the smaller aircraft.[44] The Maslin Executive Class cabin on its Airbus A310s is setup in a 2-3-2 configuration while the setup on the Douglas DC-10-30s is a more roomy 2-2-2 configuration. The economy class cabins are setup in a typical 2-5-2 configuration.[45]
English and Bengali language newspapers are available on board the aircraft along with Biman's in-flight magazine, Digonto (Horizon) which is published quarterly and available on all flights and selected hotels in Bangladesh. It covers a wide range of topics with emphasis on tourist destinations in Bangladesh and other places reachable by Biman.[46] While the majority of the content is in English, for an international audience, some features are available in other languages including Bengali.[47]
In-flight entertainment aboard Biman aircraft is rated "very poor" by Skytrax.[48] The Douglas DC-10-30s are equipped with a projector in each cabin while the Airbus A310s have monitors that drop down from the ceiling below the luggage racks in the center of the aircraft. While other airlines utilising modern aircraft are able to provide more personal in-flight experiences via seatback LCD screens, Biman's ageing fleet has maintained the standard equipment available when the planes were manufactured.[49][50]
Biman operates a frequent flyer programme which awards customers with a free round trip flight on production of ticket stubs for ten round trip journeys on Biman. The free ticket is for the route which has been flown the most out of the ten. Journeys on local routes are excluded from the offer.[1]
An agreement was signed with Amadeus in 2007 to upgrade Biman's ticketing system with an e-ticketing solution in order to comply with International Air Transport Association rules, which set out a deadline of 31 December 2007 for all member airlines to switch over their ticketing systems. E-ticketing has enabled major airlines, such as British Airways, to provide online check-in facilities reducing the need to queue-up at check-in counters. However, Biman has not indicated the adoption of e-ticketing would provide customers with an improved service apart from reducing its own costs and allowing it to meet increasing demand.[51] In 2005, Biman had briefly stopped using the Amadeus ticketing system when the government suspended the operation of a local Amadeus subsidiary following a court order, after allegations of money laundering.[52] However, the suspension, lasting only a month, was lifted after the writ was appealed in the High Court.[53]
[edit] Biman Cargo
Biman also operates a cargo service using the cargo holds of its passenger aircraft to ship freight to international destinations.[54] It has established a Cargo Village at Zia International Airport where the cargo is packaged and labelled before being loaded onto its aircraft.
While the air cargo industry in Bangladesh grew by 16.5% in the fiscal year 2003–04, Biman's cargo operations remained stagnant when private operators such as Bismillah Airlines, Best Aviation and Air Bangladesh produced a 108% growth from the previous year. The private operators increased their share of the cargo market by 10.6% and were responsible for handling 24% of the total 99,000 tons of cargo at the expense of both Biman and foreign airlines which saw a reduction in their shares by 4.6% and 6% respectively. Foreign airlines handled 47% of the total cargo with Biman taking on the remaining 29%.[55]
As with its passenger service and management, corruption has also been rife at Biman Cargo. An investigation in 2004 uncovered irregularities in a number of Biman's Middle East operations which deprived the government of millions of dollars in revenue. Biman officials in Dubai were found to have been "extending special privileges" to the main freight handler in exchange for bribes.[56] Smuggling of foreign currency and gold bars is reported to have taken place at the Biman Cargo Village by Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) employees. A number of arrests have been made but the perpetrators evade punishment through lack of evidence and pressure from the CAAB union.[57]
[edit] Destinations
See also: Biman Bangladesh Airlines destinations
Biman has air services agreements with 42 countries but operates its routes to 18, leaving room for expansion for which it lacks aircraft.[58] The airline operates flights to several destinations in the Middle East, some destinations in South and South East Asia and only two destinations in Europe – Rome and London. Foreign airlines are encroaching on Biman's routes, particularly the lucrative London–Dhaka route which traditionally only Biman and British Airways have operated direct flights on.[39] In 2005, Air India commenced a route which permitted flights between London and Dhaka without requiring a transit flight which has occupied the space freed up by Biman when it reduced London–Dhaka flights.[59][39] New airlines are also hoping to cash in on Biman's shortfall: Air Sylhet and Royal Bengal Airlines are two such airlines launched by expatriate British-Bangladeshis hoping to provide direct flights between London and Dhaka.[60][61]
[edit] New York and Manchester
From 1993 to 2006, Biman operated flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York from Dhaka via Brussels.[62] New York was Biman's farthest and most prestigious destination and was kept running despite heavy financial losses on each flight in order to maintain a landing slot in the US which, if cancelled, could be difficult to regain.[63]
To curb the losses, Biman reduced the service to one flight per week and re-routed it through Manchester Airport in England, capitalising on travel demands from the expatriate Bangladeshi community in the north of England. On 8 April 2006, Biman's
inaugural flight to Manchester landed at Manchester Airport en-route to JFK.[64] However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had placed the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) into Category 2 (does not meet International Civil Aviation Organization standards) according to its International Aviation Safety Assessment Program,[65] which placed additional restrictions on the country's airlines when flying to the US. A former CAAB assistant director made scathing remarks about the CAAB in an opinion article in the Aviatour, a monthly travel and tourism supplement of Bangladeshi news magazine Weekly Holiday.[66] For Biman, this meant that it could continue flying to the US, but could not expand or make changes to its routes such as changing the transit from Brussels to Manchester. The FAA fined Biman for breaching its rules, and flights to New York were again re-routed through Brussels.[67]
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 landing
Previously, the FAA had warned Biman to replace its ageing DC-10s by December 2005. According to experts, these aircraft did not have the necessary equipment for safely crossing the Atlantic.[68][69] On 13 May 2006, the FAA refused permission for Biman flight BG011 (DAC-DXB-BRU-JFK) to enter its airspace, citing safety concerns over the ailing DC-10 aircraft being used on the route.[70] The flight was diverted to Montreal Airport in Canada where the passengers were provided with alternative airline options to complete their journey.[71] Canadian authorities inspected the aircraft and gave it a clean bill of health after which the aircraft returned to Dhaka without any passengers. The FAA eventually admitted it was mistaken and apologised for the error.[72][73]
The incident put an end to the route, which had been losing US$80,000 per flight due to its use of obsolete DC-10s.[74] Biman decided to axe the route along with a number of other regional and domestic routes to curb the huge losses being incurred each month.[75] However, in October 2007, Biman was directed by the caretaker government to resume flights to New York. Biman confirmed that it will reintroduce flights by the deadline of 24 March 2008 following which it would permanently lose the right to operate flights on the route.[76]
[edit] Hajj flights
The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah for the Hajj is undertaken by thousands of Bangladesh's predominantly Muslim population. Biman has been the sole Bangladeshi airline permitted by the government to provide flights for pilgrims. Every year, the
commencement of these flights is inaugurated by high ranking government officials including, at times, the Prime Minister.[77][78]
In 2002, the government opened the service to private operator Air Bangladesh. The initial private flights were plagued with delays, with both outgoing and return flights postponed for as long as nine days, which caused the Bangladesh government to return the Hajj flights monopoly to Biman.[78]
Biman's handling of Hajj flights has been beset with troubles. In 2005, the State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism resigned after complaints that he set fares too high.[79] In 2006, Biman took the unprecedented step of removing the business-class seats from its dedicated Hajj flights to accommodate more economy-class passengers.[80] Procedural irregularities by the Hajj agencies delayed the confirmation of pilgrims' visas, and Biman had to cancel 19 flights due to lack of sufficient passengers. Once the situation was resolved, Biman was then unable to offer the required number of flights to cope with the backlog of passengers.[81][82]
In June 2007, the caretaker government approved a three-year Hajj policy aiming to alleviate the problems encountered during the previous two years. Hajj flights would begin leaving from Bangladesh's two other international airports, Shah Amanat International Airport and Osmani International Airport.[83] Biman put out a tender for the wet lease of two aircraft for additional Hajj flights and reached an agreement with Phuket Air. However, the deal fell through in August 2007 after Phuket Air demanded advance payment of 30% instead of the previously agreed 10%.[84] Ausban Aeronautical Services of Australia was selected next, following a re-tender, to fill the gap left by Phuket Air.[85]
[edit] Fleet
Biman started operations with a gift from the Bangladesh Air Force of a vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas DC-3 which had seen service in World War II.[13] Domestic operations commenced with the acquisition of four Fokker F27 aircraft flying passengers to Chittagong and Sylhet from its base in Dhaka. Shortly afterwards, a Boeing 707, chartered from British Caledonian, joined the airline's fleet, allowing Biman to begin international flights. In 1983, Biman purchased three Douglas DC-10 aircraft from Singapore Airlines to provide services on its long haul routes.[13][7]
For over two decades, the DC-10-30s were Biman's sole widebody airliner and served it well with no notable mechanical problems, a marked contrast to its domestic operations, operated with Fokker F28 and BAe ATPs, which were routinely out of service due to various problems. In one incident, a government minister deboarded a flight and travelled by road when he learned that the aircraft was a BAe ATP.[86] In January 2003, Biman leased two Boeing 737-300s which were used on domestic and regional routes for one and a half years.[19] These acted as a replacement for the BAe ATPs.
During the mid 90s, Biman switched its airliner of choice for long-haul routes to the Airbus series of aircraft. Two new Airbus A310s joined Biman's fleet in 1996 followed
by one more in 2000. It has nevertheless maintained its ailing DC-10 fleet which has been banned by several countries (notably the US and the EU member states) for safety concerns. The airline maintains its own ancillary and maintenance facilities at Zia International Airport, where it carries out all maintenance work on F28s, and C-Checks on DC-10–30s and A310–300s.[87]
[edit] Modernisation
Douglas DC-10s and Airbus A310s make up most of Biman's international fleet. Fokker F28s make up the remainder of the fleet for the domestic and regional sectors.[88] Biman's fleet contains the final Douglas DC-10 to come off the production line for passenger service, and only three other Airbus A310s were produced following Biman's purchase of two new Airbus A310s in 1996.[89] Biman's most recent additions to its fleet are two Fokker F28-4000s acquired from PBair in 2004 at a cost of US$2.91 million.[90] Both of these aircraft were built in 1977, making Biman's latest acquisitions the oldest aircraft in its fleet.[91]
The ageing fleet has made it difficult for Biman to maintain flight schedules as the aircraft suffer from mechanical problems, leading to flight delays, cancellations, inconvenience to passengers, and higher operating costs.[39][92] A number of aircraft have remained grounded due to lack of available parts as they are no longer manufactured and used parts are difficult to source.[93]
In 2000, Biman put out an RFP for the acquisition of four wide-bodied aircraft to replace the DC-10s, but both the fleet renewal plans and the airline's expected privatisation were shelved by the government.[94] A further attempt was made in 2005 to acquire new aircraft and plans were submitted for the purchase of ten new wide-bodied Airbus and Boeing aircraft at a total cost of US$1 billion.[95] Boeing arranged to finance the purchase provided a guarantee was given by the Bangladesh government. After bureaucratic delays and a perceived lack of commitment from the government, it lost interest and the plans were cancelled.[93] A similar attempt to purchase medium aircraft for domestic service was also postponed.[96]
In March 2007, Biman put out a tender for the dry lease of two Airbus A310-300 and two Airbus A300-600 aircraft for two years.[97] The sole response to the tender came from Star Aviation of the United Arab Emirates.[98]
[edit] Current fleet
As of May 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines fleet consists of 12 aircraft of which seven are in active service:[58]
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Fleet[44]
Aircraft TotalPassengers
(First/Economy)Routes Notes
Airbus A310-300 3 25/196 International
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 5 30/244 International
Fokker F28 Mk4000 4 0/80 Regional/Domestic
[edit] Subsidiaries
See also: Biman Bangladesh Airlines subsidiaries
Biman has non-aviation enterprises, one of which is the Biman Flight Catering Centre (BFCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Biman Bangladesh Airlines which was set up in 1989. The BFCC provides Biman's in-flight meals and is one of Biman's profitable operations, supplying food to British Airways, Qatar Airways, Dragonair, Uzbekistan Airways and Iran Air, along with casual orders from other airlines operating in Bangladesh.[99] The BFCC consumes 90% of the eggs and chicken from the Biman Poultry Complex, another profit-making subsidiary of Biman formed in 1976 and put into operation in November 1980 to rear poultry at farms in Dhaka.[100][99] Bird flu was detected at one of the farms in March 2007, and many of the birds were culled.[101] This was the first incident of bird flu in Bangladesh.[102]
[edit] Incidents and accidents
10 February 1972: The first accident occurred less than a month after starting operations. All five crew members were killed when the Douglas DC-3 crashed near Dhaka during a test flight.[14]
18 November 1979: A Fokker F27 being used for flight training landed in a field near Savar Bazar after the engines caught fire and cut out following a stall test at 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The aircraft was written off.[14]
3 April 1980: A Boeing 707 taking off for a scheduled international flight from Singapore (QPG-DAC) lost power just after the landing gear retracted. The aircraft had reached an altitude of about 100 feet (30 m) and fell back to the runway. All four engines had apparently flamed out, although it was also deemed possible that the takeoff was aborted too late. The aircraft was written off.[14]
4 August 1984: A flight from the port city of Chittagong (CGP-DAC) crashed near Dhaka, killing all 49 people on board. Captain Kaniz Fatema Roksana, the airline's first female pilot, made two attempts to land in reduced visibility but could not find the runway. On the third attempt the Fokker F-27 crashed in swamps 1,640 feet (500 m) short of the runway.[18]
22 December 1997: Flight BG609 (DAC-ZYL) made a belly landing on paddy fields three km short of Osmani International Airport in heavy fog. Seventeen of the 89 people on board were injured. The Fokker F28 was written off.[103][104]
11 January 2000: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) of India issued a circular to warn Bangladeshi authorities of a possible hijack attempt on a Bangladeshi aircraft.[105][106] Eleven passengers carrying Iranian passports boarding a flight from Kolkata to Dhaka were detained by police in Kolkata on suspicion of
the hijack attempt,[107] but were released a few hours later with a hunt ensuing for eight unidentified Afghan nationals.[108]
8 October 2004: Flight BG601 (DAC-ZYL) landed far down the 9,000 feet (2,700 m) runway at Osmani International Airport in heavy rain and overshot the end by 150 feet (46 m), coming to rest in a ditch 15 feet (4.6 m) deep. The Fokker F28's forward fuselage was heavily damaged and the plane was written off. All 79 passengers (including a number of VIPs from the Bangladesh government) escaped with minor injuries except the captain, Shahana Begum, who broke an arm.[103] The body of the damaged plane was sold by Biman Tk11 lakh to Western Grill Air Corporation, which converted it into a restaurant sited at Ashulia, Dhaka.[109][110] The restaurant was opened by the Bangladesh national cricket team and earned its owner, an expatriate Bangladeshi from the United Kingdom, a meeting with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The restaurant was also visited by the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh and the Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Air Force.[111]
1 July 2005: Flight BG048 (DXB-CGP-DAC) skidded off runway 23 onto the grass at Shah Amanat International Airport while landing during heavy rain. The right-hand undercarriage of the Douglas DC-10-30 caught fire. Ten passengers were injured while exiting the aircraft.[112] An enquiry found no faults with the aircraft and put the blame for the accident on the inefficiency of the pilot, whose employment was later terminated.[113]
26 September 2005: 5,500 staff and 150 pilots at Biman went on strike, shutting down the largest international airport in Bangladesh, when the president of the Bangladesh Airlines Pilots Association was served a retirement notice.[114] The strike, lasting 9 hours, stranded more than 1,000 passengers at Zia International Airport, which is also maintained by Biman.[115]
12 March 2007: Flight BG006 (LHR-DXB-DAC). The nose gear of the Airbus A310-300, carrying 236 passengers and crew, collapsed while accelerating down the runway. Fourteen people suffered minor injuries in the accident at Dubai International Airport. The aircraft came to rest at the end of the runway and was evacuated, but crippled the only active runway and forced the airport to close for eight hours while authorities inspected the runway.[116] The aircraft was a written off by insurers who paid Biman US$22 million.[117]
