Bangladesh aviation industry takes off after Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Between new routes, increasing traffic almost to pre-pandemic levels, new aircrafts acquisition, new companies entering the market, and Biman Bangladesh Airlines able to carry high sophisticated maintenance work on its Boeing 787, Bangladesh aviation industry is taking off.
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US-Bangla (Bangladesh’s largest private airline company) will add seven new flights from Dhaka to Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, or Colombo for example.
Bangladesh is in the certification process to obtain from the United States Federal Aviation Administration “FAA Category-1” rating, allowing airlines from the country to fly to the US. If finalized as planned in 2022, US-Bangla will start direct flights on the Dhaka-New York route in 2023.
2023 will also see the acquisition by the company of eight new Airbus A321-LR, helping develop new routes to Europe such as London, Amsterdam, Rome, and Paris.
The recovery is especially being felt at Dhaka airport, where the pre-pandemic level of 120 flights a day is expected to be reached soon. Today more than 10,000 passengers on 80 flights are flying from Dhaka airport every day, from 3,500 just three months ago.
The Covid-19 recovery, coupled to economic growth and tourism development, create new markets and needs that new privately-owned companies want to benefit. The Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh (CAAB) has recently approved the initial certifications to two entities to prepare for launching their airlines business in the coming months. Fly Dhaka Airlines Limited and Air Astra Limited were both granted a NOC (No-Objection Certificate), the first step to operate an airline, joining soon the ranks of NovoAir and US-Bangla in Bangladesh privately owned operated airlines.
Aviation Industry is one key sector for Bangladesh to expand economic relations with other countries and develop other sectors like tourism at home. The extension of Cox’s Bazar airport runway is a good example, considering its geographical position it might be use as an aircraft refueling place and enhance communication with Southeast Asian countries, and attract more local and foreign tourists at the world’s longest uninterrupted sand beach.
Other airports like Syedpur, Sylhet or Chattogram ones are perfectly suited to be used by neighboring Bhutan and Nepal, or some Indian states like Meghalay, Assam or Tripura.
Regarding the state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the government wants to expand its route including New York, Toronto and Sidney while starting seven flights a week schedule with the United Arab Emirates (two flights weekly with Abu Dhabi, five flights weekly with Dubai).
In a more technical aspect, Biman earned the certification to carry out C-check (major maintenance work on an airline, usually every two to three years).
Having to send in the past its aircrafts to Germany, Italy or Singapore, Biman successfully carried out its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner C-check in August. Each C-checks done locally will save around USD 600,000. With a current fleet of six Boeing 787 and four Boeing 777 out of twenty-one aircrafts, this will save several million dollars each year in maintenance costs.
Another development axis of Bangladesh’s airlines is towards Bangladeshi workforce abroad. When choice exists between a Bangladesh airline and a foreign airline, Bangladeshi workers are more inclined to choose their national one and spending their money in Bangladesh. For example, US-Bangla new direct flight to Male in the Maldives, will bring USD one million each month, money used to be taken by foreign carrier.
https://www.thedailystar.net/nrb/departure-arrival/airlines-more/news/runway-recovery-2204016
https://www.airport-technology.com/news/thales-air-traffic-management-bangladesh/
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/sabre-sabr-commences-partnership-with-biman-bangladesh-2021-09-13
https://www.newagebd.net/article/155178/two-more-domestic-airlines-from-next-year