Biman to sign deal for 10 Airbus aircraft in October
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat today said Bangladesh plans to sign an agreement in October to purchase 10 Airbus aircraft as part of efforts to expand Biman Bangladesh Airlines' fleet.
"Yes, we are buying 10 Airbus aircraft. Inshallah, the agreement will be signed in October," he told journalists at the Secretariat.
The minister said that the Airbus aircraft could begin arriving in 2033, with deliveries continuing through 2036 or 2037.
Aircraft cannot be purchased for immediate delivery, he said, explaining why the government was placing orders years in advance.
Millat said Biman was also trying to lease 10 aircraft to meet more immediate demand, but had yet to secure them despite repeated efforts.
On the Boeing purchases, he said the first aircraft under an earlier agreement was scheduled for delivery in 2031.
Biman had requested at least one aircraft earlier, possibly in 2027 or 2028, while the remaining deliveries would take place in stages.
The additional 11 Boeing aircraft would cost about US$2.7 billion, although payments would be made as the aircraft were delivered rather than all at once, the minister said, adding that Biman currently had 17 Boeing aircraft and no Airbus aircraft.
Rejecting suggestions that the purchases were being made under pressure, Millat said the government's aim was to increase Biman's capacity and operate more flights on routes where demand exceeded its current service.
He cited the Middle East as a market where Biman could add flights if more aircraft were available.
The airline was also considering services to Sydney and a second flight to Japan, while pursuing the resumption of its New York service after an aviation audit, he said.
Expanding the national carrier's fleet would allow Biman to carry a larger share of Bangladeshi travellers and retain more of their spending within the country, the minister added.
The proposed Airbus package comprises four A350-900 widebody aircraft and six A321neo narrowbody jets.
The Airbus purchase would add to Biman's agreements for 25 Boeing aircraft signed this year.
Those orders comprise 13 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, two 787-9 Dreamliners and 10 Boeing 737-8 jets.
The first Boeing agreement, signed in April, covered 14 aircraft; a supplementary agreement for 11 more was signed in September.
Together, the Boeing orders and proposed Airbus purchase would give Biman a pipeline of 35 new aircraft: 19 widebody jets for longer routes and 16 narrowbody aircraft for regional and medium-haul services.
