Syed Shemul Parvez :
The country’s corona situation is normal, and the pressure of the passengers has increased in the air-ways. To cope with this pressure, the government has undertaken several projects to modernize the domestic airports.
In the meantime, lounges have already been set up at several places including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Before Corona, the number of passengers on domestic routes in 2019 was about 45 lakh. Last year it exceeded 50 lakh.
At present, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport handles more than 200 domestic flights daily. However, the capacity of domestic airports has not increased much. As a result, even though there are multiple flight schedules in a short period of time, the suffering of the passengers has increased.
Arman Sadik, businessman and a regular passenger of the domestic air-lines told the New Nation that flight schedules is one of the major problems in domestic air-ways. We have to wait for a long time unexpectedly as airport authority frequently announces about cancellation of the upcoming flight.
Getting ticket is also another big drawback for the passengers, Arman added
Meanwhile, with the current infrastructure, airport authorities are not ready to cater to the huge number of passengers.
However, to enhance the quality of service, work has already been completed to set up an 8,000-square-foot exit lounge on the internal terminal building of Shahjalal Airport.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Mofidur Rahman says some lounges are allocated for advanced passenger service. Only those who have experience in providing good service have been assigned. Passengers expect good service as well as improved environment. We are trying to provide that service through these lounges.
To cope with the pressure, the government is paying
special attention to modernize the domestic airports, said Bebichak chairman.
On the other hand, mismanagement and irregularities have been prevailing in most of the domestic airports of the country since long. It is said that a successful airport needs at least two things: Plenty of passengers and modernized infrastructure. But most of the domestic airports in Bangladesh are in poor condition.
It is mentionable that earlier, two cows died when a plane of Biman Bangladesh Airlines hit them on the runway while taking off from Cox’s Bazar Airport in November last year. However, 94 passengers on board escaped deaths. After such incident entire air-lines of the country rose from hibernation.
