Biman may reduce its flight schedule
By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Biman Bangladesh may be forced to reduce its flight schedule and face other hardships following the accident at Dubai International Airport.
The airline is awaiting the results of investigation from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), experts from Airbus, the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority and the French Aviation Accident Office.
The airline's insurer, Aon, and a Biman team sent from Dhaka are conducting separate investigations. Biman returned to its normal schedule yesterday of about 20 flights per week passing through Dubai.
However, the loss of a plane may force the carrier to reduce its route schedule, according to Ali Ahson, Biman's regional manager in Dubai.
Biman officials met yesterday in Dhaka to decide what flights to cut, if any, after the damaged plane was taken out of rotation, he said.
Last year, aircraft shortages forced Biman to cut flights to New York, Paris, Tokyo, Frankfurt and Brussels. In December, the airline said it planned to lease four aircraft to resume flights to these destinations.
Dogged by financial problems last year, the carrier sat on the brink of bankruptcy before being bailed out by the Bangladeshi government.
The results of the investigations will reveal whether Biman may repair the damaged aircraft, whether it faces new insurance premiums, and also if it faces flying restrictions from the GCAA.
Company officials say this is the fifth accident the airline has been involved in since its launch in 1972.
"Airport staff are doing their utmost to ensure that the best possible care is being provided to affected passengers."
Emirates spokesman
The results of the investigation will reveal whether Biman may repair the damaged aircraft, whether it faces new insurance premiums, and also if it faces flying restrictions from the GCAA.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks