Bangladeshi airlines industry.

[GoldenAsif]

Articles related to the Bangladeshi airlines industry.

British Bangladeshis launch Manchester to Dhaka linkto end the "misery" of passengers travelling to Bangladesh from Manchester.


The Royal Bengal Airline is the first airline to be owned and run by British born Bangladeshis and they hope they can make flying much easier and comfortable for their passengers.


The directors held an exclusive seminar in Oldham's Menzies Hotel to announce the launch of its domestic and regional services.

Over 200 guests attended the invitation only seminar, organised by Fortune PR, where Royal Bengal Airline informed the audience that it has agreed to buy their first two domestic aircraft and are due to launch their domestic and regional services in Bangladesh within the next couple of months.


Managing director, Shalim Rahman said: "The desire to establish an airline has been a burning ambition of all those involved. The founding members as well as frequent travellers to Bangladesh are not only frustrated by the primitive services offered by existing airlines but were also inspired by the belief that a new British Bangladeshi owned airline could revolutionise the air travel experience in Southeast Asia."


Royal Bengal Airline hopes to develop a route from Manchester to Dhaka as well as its initial routes from London Stanstead to the Bangladesh capital.


Said Mr Rahman: "We carried out a survey on the experiences of travellers to Bangladesh. Time and time again we have been told that people often have a miserable journeys where flights are delayed, luggage often arrives three days late and passengers often travel in cramped conditions.


"They are fed up and want to have an easier journey to the subcontinent."


Community leaders and local businessmen extended their words of encouragement.


Chair of Greater Sylhet Council UK, JP Monchab Ali welcomed the Royal Bengal Airline management team.


He said: "I am delighted to learn that third generation Bangladeshis are working on this project, but what is further encouraging is to see the professionalism and high levels of standards that is being demonstrated by our children”

http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/busine...aka_link_.html

[GoldenAsif]

Kuwait firm to invest $7m in aviation sector
Star Business Report

Kuwait-based Aviation Company, Al Aqeeq Aviation and Holdings will initially invest US$7 million in the aviation sector of Bangladesh.

Al Aqeeq Aviation President Captain Abdullah Bastaki told the signing ceremony of a joint venture agreement with Best Aviation at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel yesterday.

He said Al Aqeeq Aviation has already acquired 70 percent share of Best Aviation to jointly launch domestic and international air passenger services by July this year.

This is the first such initiative in the aviation sector of Bangladesh.

Bastaki said Al Aqeeq's parent company, Al Aqeelah Leasing, Finance and Investment Group is also interested in further investment in the sectors of human resources, real estate, tourism and communications infrastructure.
Urging the government to initiate investment-friendly actions, he said, "Geographically, Bangladesh is a very potential country. Dhaka is the centre of this region, but Zia International Airport is much behind others."

M. Haideruzzman, chairman of IPSSL Group, parent company of Best Aviation, said Best Air will start with a fleet of two B-737 aircrafts and is willing to operate in Chittagong and Sylhet domestically and Kolkata, Jaipur, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Kunming and Colombo internationally.

Best Aviation started its operation in 1991, pioneering as a helicopter operator in Bangladesh.

Best Aviation, subsidiary of IPSSL Group, owns two cargo aircraft and has leased two others. The company is the leading air-cargo operator in Bangladesh and flies to the Middle East and Europe.

http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/03/23/d70323050464.htm

Bangladesh airline buys small jet, seeks more

DHAKA, May 29 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's new private airline, United Airways (Bangladesh) Limited, which begins operations in June, has bought a small Bombardier-built jet and is in talks to buy two more aircraft by August. United Airways bought the Dash 8 from Island Air of the United States and is in talks to buy two more second-hand planes, its deputy manager Kamrul Islam told Reuters on Tuesday.

It will become the country's second private airline after GMG Airlines and has plans to expand flights on regional routes soon.

United Airways will introduce flights linking the capital Dhaka with the main port city Chittagong, northeastern Sylhet city and the southeastern resort town Cox's Bazar. It has also obtained licences to introduce regional flights.

State airline, Bangladesh Biman Airlines, dominates domestic routes with a 54 percent market shares followed by GMG, with the remaining 46 percent share.

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/070529/3/32kwh.html

[GoldenAsif]

Biman is going to be operating as a private company (albeit owned by the public) and will be forced to improve its services due to competition.

I think the government wants a competitive airlines industry to serve the 140 million people of Bangladesh and visitors coming in.

A lot of gulf Arab companies have been expressing interest in investing in tourism in Bangladesh. After 9/11 and Islamophobia many Arabs who had traditionally been going to the west started going to Muslim Malaysia.

Nepal is also attractive to tourists for the Himalayas and it may become more convenient for tourists to fly to Dhaka and then go to Nepal via India, thus seeing 3 countries rather than flying to Delhi.

[abdulw11]

With all these airline companies, I think Biman will struggle, especially with all the debt they are in. It's sad that the BD airline industry needed new companies to get Biman to make such decisions. But they sure as hell needed the kick up their backside.

[gatekeeper]

Are yo sure its only 7 mil? Sounds pathetiaclly small amout for this sector.

[Rabz]

Originally Posted by gatekeeper
Are yo sure its only 7 mil? Sounds pathetiaclly small amout for this sector.

Thats true...7 mill sounds too low in this sector...

[GoldenAsif]

Originally Posted by gatekeeper
Are yo sure its only 7 mil? Sounds pathetiaclly small amout for this sector.

Yes, you are right. That's what I was thinking when I read the article. Plus I found it strange that despite such a meagre sum, Baktasi seemed to have ambitious ideas.

All I can say is it is still good news and Arabs are coming of age now in terms of investment. Saudi for example has many big impressive industries producing a wide range of products. Bahrain generates most of its money from other than oil and has done so for quite a while. The UAE is focusing on being a focal point for international trade and tourism and is succeeding.

The UAE did send a big trade delegation a few months back to investigate opportunities in BD.

The Saudi Prince, Bandar bin Sultan has taken over Rupali bank.

Apparently the Gulf Arabs have $360 billion surplus cash which they can invest in different places and with increasing Islamophobia they are looking to other areas besides the west.

I think we will see more Arab investment in BD and also better relations politically and economically with India which is already happening.