Agreement to Buy 10 Airbus Aircraft to Be Signed Today
As part of its fleet expansion plan, Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to sign an agreement with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus today (Wednesday, October 7) to purchase 10 new aircraft. The agreement is being signed alongside an initiative to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft as part of the airline’s long-term fleet plan.
Officials concerned said the agreement will add four A350-900 wide-body and six A321neo narrow-body aircraft to Biman’s fleet. The four A350-900 aircraft are planned for use on long-haul international routes, while the six A321neo aircraft will be operated on regional and medium-haul routes.
Jürgen Westermeier, president and managing director of Airbus India and South Asia, and Rumi Hossain, chairman of the board of directors of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, will sign the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir are expected to attend the signing ceremony, officials said.
Earlier, the Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister had said the government aimed to complete the agreement with Airbus to purchase 10 aircraft by October. The signing ceremony has been arranged today as part of that initiative.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ long-term fleet expansion plan includes aircraft from both Airbus and US-based manufacturer Boeing. The airline has already planned to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft. The addition of the new aircraft is expected to enhance Biman’s capacity to operate international and regional routes.
The A350-900 aircraft will mainly be used for long-haul flights. Meanwhile, the A321neo aircraft are planned for regional and medium-haul routes. This will create opportunities to expand Biman’s flight network to various destinations.
Alongside fleet expansion, initiatives are also being taken to develop Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub. To this end, discussions are underway with international partners on the possibility of establishing aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Bangladesh.
In addition to developing the aviation sector, recent discussions have also focused on increasing air connectivity between Bangladesh and Germany and expanding cooperation in the tourism sector. The initiative to acquire new aircraft is being viewed as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s civil aviation capacity in the long term.
