Economic Reporter :
National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to phase out two decades-old Airbus 310 aircraft before going to lease two Boeing 767 aircraft in its fleet to tackle any immediate problem in its flight operation
Meanwhile, Biman has already grounded the two aircraft as part of its bid to phase them out because of their excessive fuel consumption.
According to senior officials of the airlines, the two Airbus 310 were grounded on September 29 to sell the two aircraft.
In this regard, the management of the airlines is now planning to float an international tender notice to get a better price.
While talking to The New nation, Chairman of Biman Board of Directors Air Marshal Enamul Bari (Retd) said: “We don’t have any other option but to phase out the two aircraft due to their age-old complication as well as high fuel consumption.”
Earlier, Biman grounded four DC-10 aircraft which could not be sold despite repeated efforts. DC-10s were the backbone of the Biman fleet for nearly a quarter century. Once the fleet numbered six aircraft.
The management of Biman had decided to phase out the two Airbuses in 2015 due to their high fuel consumption and unavailability of spare parts. Airbus, the manufacturing company of A310, had also stopped its production in 1998.
Moreover, it was facing technical glitches regularly in the last couple of years. In 2007, an A310 carrying 236 passengers and crew members suffered a collapsed nose gear during its take off. 14 people suffered minor injuries in the accident at Dubai International Airport.
In 1986, Biman purchased two brand new twin engine wide body Airbus A310 for its fleet to operate flights across Middle-east, South-East Asia and regional flight. Later on, it bought two more A310s from Singapore Airlines and Air Jamaica.
At the very beginning, the two A310 served the national flag carrier smoothly as the aircraft was fuel efficient.
An engineer of Biman said: “During the last five years, fuel consumption of A310 on its medium-to-long range flight increased unexpectedly which was not bearable.”
In addition, parts and equipment of the aircraft are not available as only a few airlines operate these kinds of aircraft, he added.
Biman is one of Asia’s smallest flag carriers, operating only 10 aircraft on a network of 22 destinations, including 19 international and three within Bangladesh. Its fleet currently consists of four 777-300ERs, two 777-200ERs, two 737-800s and two A310s.
National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to phase out two decades-old Airbus 310 aircraft before going to lease two Boeing 767 aircraft in its fleet to tackle any immediate problem in its flight operation
Meanwhile, Biman has already grounded the two aircraft as part of its bid to phase them out because of their excessive fuel consumption.
According to senior officials of the airlines, the two Airbus 310 were grounded on September 29 to sell the two aircraft.
In this regard, the management of the airlines is now planning to float an international tender notice to get a better price.
While talking to The New nation, Chairman of Biman Board of Directors Air Marshal Enamul Bari (Retd) said: “We don’t have any other option but to phase out the two aircraft due to their age-old complication as well as high fuel consumption.”
Earlier, Biman grounded four DC-10 aircraft which could not be sold despite repeated efforts. DC-10s were the backbone of the Biman fleet for nearly a quarter century. Once the fleet numbered six aircraft.
The management of Biman had decided to phase out the two Airbuses in 2015 due to their high fuel consumption and unavailability of spare parts. Airbus, the manufacturing company of A310, had also stopped its production in 1998.
Moreover, it was facing technical glitches regularly in the last couple of years. In 2007, an A310 carrying 236 passengers and crew members suffered a collapsed nose gear during its take off. 14 people suffered minor injuries in the accident at Dubai International Airport.
In 1986, Biman purchased two brand new twin engine wide body Airbus A310 for its fleet to operate flights across Middle-east, South-East Asia and regional flight. Later on, it bought two more A310s from Singapore Airlines and Air Jamaica.
At the very beginning, the two A310 served the national flag carrier smoothly as the aircraft was fuel efficient.
An engineer of Biman said: “During the last five years, fuel consumption of A310 on its medium-to-long range flight increased unexpectedly which was not bearable.”
In addition, parts and equipment of the aircraft are not available as only a few airlines operate these kinds of aircraft, he added.
Biman is one of Asia’s smallest flag carriers, operating only 10 aircraft on a network of 22 destinations, including 19 international and three within Bangladesh. Its fleet currently consists of four 777-300ERs, two 777-200ERs, two 737-800s and two A310s.
