Bahrain Air Vision and Mission

Vision

To position ourselves as the airline of choice in the region offering customers a safe and comfortable flying experience at excellent value for money.

Mission

To provide a safe and reliable service to our valued customers, delivered with a sense of professionalism, warmth and friendliness. We will achieve this by operating our flights on time and by offering personalized services on the ground and in the air.

Introduction and Scope

Bahrain Air, the first privately owned National Carrier with affordable fares in both Premium and Economy classes, operates from Bahrain to several destinations, using modern fleet of eight Airbus A320 and A319 aircraft.

The airline is playing a major role in linking Bahrain, the financial centre of the Middle East, to various destinations in the GCC, the Levant, Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent, with fast and economical point to point services, for the business community and the travelling public. The airline is committed to offering its customers the highest level of comfort, service and reliability at the most affordable prices throughout the year on its growing network.

Aviation Club of Bangladesh River Cruise-2009

Aviation Club of Bangladesh is going to organise a Day long River Cruise on 06 Feb-2009. They will start from Shadarghat BIWTC Terminal at 8:00 A.M and will return to same point by evening. There will be a lot of cultural programmes, RAFLE'S DRAW and other entertainment events on board. This year ACB is collecting General Membership. Interested persons can collect membeship form and apply for membership on board.Here is the highlighting gift list of Aviation Club of Bangladesh River Cruise-2009.

EMIRATES - DHAKA/LONDON/DHAKA - 1 Y CLASS TKT
DHAKA/DUBAI/DHAKA - 1Y CLASS TKT

GULF AIR - DHAKA/LONDON/DHAKA - 1Y CLASS TKT

ETIHAD AIRWAYS - DHAKA/ABU-DHABI/DHAKA - 1 Y CLASS TKT

GMG AIRLINES - DHAKA/SINGAPORE/DHAKA - 2 Y CLASS TKTS
DHAKA/KATHMANDU/DHAKA -2 Y CLASS TKTS

JET AIRWAYS - DHAKA/DELHI/DHAKA- 2 Y CLASS TKTS
DHAKA/KOLKATA/DHAKA -2 Y CLASS TKTS

CATHAY PACIFIC-
DRAGON AIR - DHAKA/HONGKONG-DHAKA-1 Y CLASS TKT

BIMAN BANGLADESH AIRLINES - DHAKA/BANGKOK/DHAKA 1 Y CLASS TKT

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES - GIFT HAMPER

ATLAS TRAVELS LTD. - GIFT HAMPER

VICTORY TRAVELS - DHAKA/BANGKOK/DHAKA 1 Y CLASS TKT

AIR TRIP INTERNATIONAL - GIFT HAMPER

EAST WEST TRAVELS & TOURS (PVT) LTD. - GIFT HAMPER

ISLAMIA OVERSEAS - GIFT HAMPER

VERSATILE TRAVELS & TOURS LTD - GIFT HAMPER

GALILEO - GIFT HAMPER

ABACUS - GIFT HAMPER

AMADEUS - GIFT HAMPER

PANPACIFIC SONARGAON HOTEL -GIFT HAMPER

WASHINGTON HOTEL - GIFT HAMPER

* MANY OTHER PRIZES HAVE BEEN COLLECTED FOR RAFLE'S DRAW

To know more about Aviation Club of Bangladesh visit http://www.acb.link2bd.com/ or http://www.acb-bd.tk/ or call on 01552413836.

Reported by - Mahmudul Hassan Sohel, Executive Member, Aviation Club of Bangladesh

Thai Resumes Daily Flights From 3rd-February-09

Thai Airways International (THAI) one of the longest serving airlines in Bangladesh has decided to withdraw flight cut on Bangkok-Dhaka-Bangkok route. Effective first week of this month (February) Thai will operate its usual daily flight on the route. It may be recalled that during political turmoil in November 2008 and capture of Airports by political demonstrators. Thai had to suspend its operation to Dhaka on November 26. It also suspended its operation to and from Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong. The airline resumed its flights to Dhaka from December 4, but with only five flights a week. This flight cut is going to be fully restored this week. However, the suspended operation to SAIA is not likely to be resumed. The decision to open the route was political and it was never profitable. Sourece: The Independent 03-Feb-09

GMG Airlines resumes Flights to Delhi, Dubai

GMG Airlines, the leading private sector airline of the country, recommenced thrice weekly flights to New Delhi and Dubai on January 21. Erfan Haque, General Mana-ger Sales, earlier made the announcement of resumption at a reception to honour travel agents at The Westin Dhaka on January 19. Ajith Weera-sekera, Head of Global Sales also spoke at the reception, which was attended by members of travel trade. The airline will be reintroducing thrice a week flights to Bangkok and Singapore on February 10. From March 1, the airline will be flying to Doha thrice weekly and adding three more flights to Dubai, taking the number to six flights a week, he added.GMG Airlines hopes to link Dhaka with Karachi, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia within the Summer Schedule, Shahab Sattar said, adding services to existing destinations will be further improved.GMG Airlines recently added a MD-83 aircraft to its fleet. With this, the airlines present fleet consists of three Dash-8s, two MD-82s and one MD-83. An Airbus A320 is expected to join the fleet in the middle of February. The Top Ten Agents who were honoured on the occasion are: Islamia Overseas Ltd, Air Trip International Ltd, East West Travels and Tours (Pvt) Ltd, Al-Gazi Travels Ltd, Hajee Air Travels, City-com Inter-national Travel Agency, Kazi Air Inter-national (Pvt) Ltd, DBH Inter-national (Pvt) Ltd, Oasis Air Services, and Beacon Travel International Ltd. Source: The Independent 03rd-Feb-2009

Kingfisher Airlines all set to start operating to Dhaka

Kingfisher Airlines, the sixth five-star airline of the world and the only five-star domestic airline of India, is all set to start operating to Dhaka in a month or two. Gireesh Bhaskar, Area Manager designate Bangladesh, Kingfisher Airlines, said this while talking to The Bangladesh Monitor at his office in the city recently. Initially well start with daily Kolkata-Dhaka flights. Well look at double daily flights at the earliest, he said adding, flights from Kolkata to Chittagong and Dhaka to other destinations in India would follow. The 40-minute evening flights will be operated with 66-seat six-blade ATR72-500, the longer ATR with more powerful engines and TV on board and configured in Kingfisher Plus (premium economy) class. It is the ideal aircraft to connect the two cities, he said. Kingfisher has 28 such brand new aircraft. Well be the last one to leave Kolkata and Dhaka, allowing the passengers to do a full days work at either city. Like all foreigners coming to Bangladesh, Bhaskars perceptions of Bangladesh changed after he arrived. Bangladesh is not what I thought. He promised to promote tourism between Bangladesh and India sharing my experience. Appreciating the warmth and hospitality of the people of this country, he said he finds no reason why Bangladesh should not get at much tourists as Nepal, where he served earlier. Asked why its products and services are different from other airlines, he said We treat our passengers as guests and we treat them just as we would treat our guests at our homes. We strongly believe that we are in the hospitality industry, not the transportation industry, Bhaskar said. The Bangalore based airline started operations in 2005 and went international with Bangalore-London flights last year. With 420 departures a day, 70-aircraft Kingfisher is considered one of the top 20 airlines in the world. Bhaskar, who hails from Kerala and has 16 years experience in the industry, is married and father of an eight-year-old daughter.
Source: The Independent on 3rd-Feb-2009

Pilot hailed for Hudson miracle

The pilot of an airliner that ditched in New Yorks Hudson River has been hailed a hero after all 155 passengers and crew were rescued, reports BBC.
The US Airways Airbus A320 made the crash-landing minutes out of LaGuardia airport, both its engines apparently disabled by a flock of birds. Passengers were rescued from the wings or helped from the icy water by divers.
Captain Chesley Sullenberger was praised by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his masterful landing. The state governor spoke of a miracle on the Hudson.
The BBCs Greg Wood reports from New York that it was a true delivery from disaster, a commercial airliner forced to ditch in the river just next to the skyscrapers of mid-town Manhattan but with no fatalities.
One person suffered two broken legs and paramedics treated 78 patients, most for minor injuries but, through a combination of luck, the skill of the pilot and a rapid emergency response, 155 people have had a very narrow escape, our correspondent says.
Flight 1549 departed LaGuardia en route to Charlotte, North Carolina, at 1503 local time (2003 GMT), after a delay of 18 minutes, US Airways said.
The pilot reported a double bird strike less than a minute after take-off and asked to return to the ground, before ditching in the Hudson, an air controllers union spokesman said.
Ferryboats arrived within minutes of the crash to begin the rescue as passengers emerged in life jackets.
The temperature was almost -7C and the current in the Hudson was running rapidly.
The plane moved rapidly down river, threatening to submerge at one point, until guided to a halt by tug boats against a pier.
It would appear that the pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river, and then making sure that everybody got out, Mr Bloomberg said Thursday evening.
I had a long conversation with the pilot. He walked the plane twice after everybody else was off and tried to verify that there was nobody else onboard. And assures us there were not.
The mayor also commended emergency services, saying: They train for these kinds of emergencies, and you saw it in action.

Sourece: the Financial Express

Air India Fires 10 Flight Attendants For Being Overweight

State-run carrier Air India fired 10 flight attendants for being "exceptionally overweight," a spokesman said Tuesday.
The staff had been grounded for years and were sacked after a medical board declared them unfit for duty. The airline says they were given ample opportunity to shed weight.
"They haven't been flying for two to three years for being exceptionally overweight," Jitendra Bhargava, the airline's spokesman said.
Bhargava confirmed some of the air hostesses had approached the New Delhi High Court for a legal challenge, which was later thrown out.
"That is their democratic right," he said.
This is not the first time the airline has sacked employees for being overweight, he added.

Sourece: AIRWISE News Date06-01-2009

Biman force-retired 2000 staffs demand reinstatement - Anomalies return to ZIA

Around 2000 employees of Bangladesh Biman who were sent on forced self- retirement have urged the newly elected government to reinstate them to the service.
"The authority compelled us to go to self retirement with an empty hand showing different causes. Besides, they threatened us at several times. We are the victims of the circumstances. If they don't fulfill our demand, we will commit suicide," the jobless employees said at a protest rally demanding reinstatement in front of Balaka Bhaban in the city yesterday.
They alleged, "They were thrown out of employment on the plea of reducing manpower of Biman, but instead of reducing manpower, Biman's manpower has now been increased. What was then justification to send us home?" they alleged.
Chairman of the Board of Director of Biman said that the authority already was informed about the matter. "We do hope we will be able to resolve the problem avoiding any untoward situation," he assured.
Meanwhile, criminal syndicate at Zia International Airport has become very much active after two years. During the regime of emergency government, the criminals, cheats and organised thugs had gone into hiding but soon after taking power by the elected democratic government, they have started returning to ZIA and committing crimes.
"The anomalies at the ZIA are still rampant despite different measures to protect the incoming and outgoing passengers from sufferings and to check trafficking of currency and gold by the Bangladesh Biman employees, customs officials, police, ansars, smugglers, transport workers, porters, sweepers and cheats," talking to this correspondent a section of officials alleged.
Yesterday, Safiul Azam, Comm-unication Engineer of ZIA, was caught red handed while he was stealing away a laptop computer from a passenger. The arrested person later was released due to pressure of his colleagues.
Station Officer Shawkat Ali said that he was not present during incident." On that time Commu-nication Engineer Safiul Azam was not assigned to discharge his duty. I heard the theft incident and informed it to concerned higher authority," he said.
Criminals get protection and patronage from crime syndicates who have an unholy alliance with a group of unscrupulous members of police, customs, Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bang-ladesh, said other sources in ZIA.
Office in Charge of the Airport thana Sirazul Alam said, "Soon after the withdrawal of task force, we have taken various measures against the organised thugs and criminals."
On the other hand, passengers arriving at ZIA from abroad regularly become victims of harassment by a section of unscrupulous airport staff right under the nose of the police and the CAAB.
Moreover, traffic police, who regulate the parking in the newly-constructed car parking area of the airport, allegedly realise extra tolls illegally from each car in addition to normal toll.
Besides, ansar personnel collect from the incoming passengers handsome tips. If tips are not paid, they are harassed in different ways, sources complained to this correspondent.
They alleged these CAAB employees - mostly cleaners, conveyer belt operators and security guards - are known as 'carriers' in the smuggling racket. They have links with high officials for smuggling of contraband items.

Source- The Bangladesh Today, Date-11-Jan-2009

Direct flights between Dhaka, Istanbul likely soon

Huge potential of trade, investment between Bangladesh, Turkey exists Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Adviser for the Ministries of Commerce and Education, who was on a high-profile visit to Turkey to reinforce trade relations with Turkey, met TUSKON (one of the apex forums of Turkish businessmen based in Istanbul) in Istanbul on August 29 last.
The Adviser appreciated the economic growth of Turkey in the recent years. He forthrightly discussed the future potential of trade and investment between Bangladesh and Turkey. He stressed that people of both countries can easily the sure the historic brotherly ties for future trade and investment.
Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman said that that in near future Bangladesh-Turkey trade volume should be US$1 billion. In this connection the Commerce Adviser underscored the importance of direct flights between Istanbul and Dhaka to facilitate easy traffic of business delegation.
TUSKON President Rizanur Meral and present businessman appreciated the initiative of establishing direct flights between two countries.
During the meeting, Turkish businessmen expressed their interest to invest in the textile sector in Bangladesh. They informed that due to high cost of labour and energy in Turkey they were looking for alternative country to relocate their textile industries and in all consideration Bangladesh could be one of the best destinations for such relocation.
He highly appreciated their interest in Bangladesh and informed that other than cheap labour, Bangladesh offers tax holidays and other infrastructure supports for successful investment in the country.
Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman elucidated the potential market of 150 million people in Bangladesh to the Turkish businessmen. He stated that apart from textile, RMG, pharmaceuticals, jute and jute products, energy, leather and ceramic sectors could be the potential sectors for further trade and investment between two countries.
The Adviser suggested that during the 3rd session of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting between Bangladesh and Turkey in the first half of 2009, businessman from both countries should highlight their experiences and suggestions for boosting the trade relations.
Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman invited the TUSKON delegation to visit Bangladesh at their earliest convenience.
Earlier, the Adviser met Dr Ternel Kotil, President and CEO of Turkish Airlines in Istanbul. They discussed about the potential of direct fights between Istanbul and Dhaka.
President and CEO of Turkish Airlines Dr Kotil informed that after some procedural formalities Turkish Airlines would be operative to Dhaka by April 2009.
Dr Rahman was also interviewed by the TRT (Turkish National TV Channel in Istanbul), which had been widely broadcasted in Turkish electronic media.
Source: The New Nation Dated: 02-09-2008

Kingfisher Airlines goes International with London

Kingfisher Airlines goes international with London (XFN-ASIA) Kingfisher Airlines has announced it will launch its first international flight from the high-tech southern city of Bangalore to London next month.
The daily non-stop Airbus A330-220 service to Heathrow airport by Kingfisher, owned by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, will take to the skies 03-Sept-08.
Kingfisher chairman Mallya said,"We will set new standards in international travel." The privately-owned airline last year bought out low-cost Indian carrier Deccan Aviation giving it the right to fly aboard. Under Indian rules, carriers less than five years old cannot fly internationally. Kingfisher was founded three years ago while Deccan is five years old.
On its own, Kingfisher would only have been eligible to fly abroad in 2010. The decision to add overseas destinations is expected to heat up rivalry with India's largest airline Jet Airways. All India's major airlines have posted big losses due to soaring fuel costs that have driven up fares, reducing passenger traffic. The sector has been hit by a wave of mergers as airlines have sought to cut costs.




Sourece:India Aviation 2008-08-25

Qatar Airways first to use gas for its airline

Qatar, which has the third largest gas reserves in the world, would soon be the first country to use gas to fly its airline. Qatar Airways is edging closer to its dream of being the world's first airline to fly on natural gas and engine trials are likely to start in the next 12 months with commercial flights sometime later. The airline hopes to beat the rising cost of petrol with the switch to natural gas. Qatar Airlines Chairman, Al Baker told Khaleej Times that massive plans are on, on a gas to liquid (GTL) plant."The Royal Dutch Shell is building the largest GTL plant in the world in Qatar, investing nearly US$13 billion. This would catapult Qatar into the GTL capital of the world," he said.

Sourece: The Independent Dated: 29-07-2008

Qatar launches daily flights to New York from 25-July-2008

Qatar Airways announced on Monday(25-08-2008) it will start daily non-stop flights to New York from its Doha headquarters on October 26. It will be deploying its new Boeing 777-300 Extended Range aircraft to shave close to three hours off the current 17-hour flying time.

Under new operational schedules, the state-owned carrier said on Monday it will switch its existing six-flights-a week between Doha and the gateway hub of Newark Liberty International Airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, stepping up frequency to daily non-stop services to give passengers greater choice.

Source: ArabianBusiness.com Dated: 25-08-2008

Aviana launches Dhaka-Syedpur journey today

The country's fourth private airline Aviana Airways Ltd launches its flights on Dhaka-Syedpur route today (Tuesday), offering reasonable fares aiming to pave the way for foreign investment in the country's northern region, a senior official of the operator said on Monday.
He said Aviana Airways will operate weekly three flights one each on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays on Dhaka - Syedpur route, where no other airlines are operating flights after state carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines cut the destination.
Manager of the Aviana Airways Flight Lieutenant (retd) M Mazharul Islam told the FE Monday that they are starting operation on Dhaka-Syedpur route as there are no flights to the destination. Air connections will help bring foreign investment to the region.
He said special assistant to chief adviser Mahbub Jamil is expected to be on-board the inaugural flight to Syedpur from Dhaka (today) Tuesday.
"We are definitely looking forward to offer quality passenger services at a lower and competitive price. We hope to attract reasonable number of passengers in our flights," he added.
Air ticket for Dhaka-Syedpur route will cost Tk 4495 per person at the initial stage of operation.
The Aviana Airways, starting services from January this year under the brand name of Royal Bengal, has already connected Dhaka with Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Jessore and Sylhet through its flights.
Aviana, operating flights with a Canadian-built Dash 8-100 aircraft, having capacity of 36 passengers, will soon add another aircraft to its fleet with the aim to fly beyond the country's border.
Mr. Islam said: "Hopefully by December this year we will be able to fly to international destinations too."
Aviana Airways, a joint venture of a group of British Bangladeshi professionals and businessmen, has unveiled a new 3000 sq feet regional office in Sylhet. Besides, the corporate office is in Gulshan with sales offices in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Jessore.
"We also have set check-in and sales counters in the major airports of Bangladesh," said Mr. Islam
Aviana Airways is the fourth private airline to compete with the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The others are GMG Airlines, United Airways and Best Aviation.

Source : The Financial Express: Dated 26-08-2008

Bahrain Air inks Airbus deal

Bahrain Air has inked an agreement with Airbus to buy six brand new A320-200s valued at $450m. The airline will now own a total of 11 planes. The airline also announced it has surpassed it target to carry 250,000 passengers in its first six months out of the annual target of 500,000 passengers.

Sourece: AME Info 2008-08-25

GMG to resume three int'l flights as oil price eases

The country's largest private airline GMG will resume three international flights and add a new route as oil price eased both in the international and domestic markets, an official said Tuesday.

The company had to suspend its flights to Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmundu and New Delhi nearly two months back as oil price shot past 140 dollars a barrel in the global market.

The 10-year-old GMG has now decided to resume flight to Kuala Lumpur on August 20, Kathmundu on August 22 and New Delhi later this month, company spokesman Nazrul Islam told the FE.

"Oil price has started to ease in the global market. So we think it's best time to resume our international flights," Islam said.

The price of jet fuel also came down five cents a litre in the local market last week after its sole government seller, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, lowered the price in line with the international market.

The GMG said it would also launch a new route to Pakistan's port city and commercial capital Karachi later this month, as part of its expansion drive.

"A lot of visitors travel to Karachi every day. We think it's going to be a lucrative route," he said, adding, the airline would extend the New Delhi flight to Karachi.

The company has hired a 150-seater new MD-83 aircraft to operate the flights to international destinations, he said.

But the resumption of the flight to the Gulf aviation hub of Dubai looks unlikely for the time being as the company sees no profit in the long-haul destination.

"Dubai is still in our mind. We have to reassess the situation first before deciding we are going to resume the flight to Dubai," Islam said.

GMG took a huge gamble in February when it became the first Bangladeshi private operator to fly to Dubai.

The company hired a Boeing 747-200 aircraft on an expensive wet-lease agreement--- in which an airline pays for everything--- to operate seven flights a week to the United Arab Emirates city.

But it losses piled up after months of non-stop flights, as the operator could not find enough return passengers to Dhaka to make the money for the costly lease payment.

Analysts said the company had to suspend the Dubai route and returned the hired aircraft to the leasing company in the face one of the worst financial crisis in the company's history.

The airline had earlier this year projected around Tk 13.50 billion revenue, which is more than three times its 2007 revenue, banking on the Dubai and other new regional route.

But analysts said, the Dubai debacle and the high cost of oil meant it now would have to end the year in red and the turnover nowhere near the target.

At present, the company operates three domestic flights to Chittagong, Jessore and Sylhet and 18-21 weekly flights to Indian city of Kolkata with its three Dash-8 and two MD-82 aircraft.

Sourece: The Financial Express Dated 20-08-2008

Thai Airways, Biman avert Accidents

Passengers and crew of two aircraft--a Thai Airways Boeing 777 and a Biman DC 10--were unhurt when tyres of the planes burst while landing at Zia International Airport (ZIA) in Dhaka and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong yesterday.
The Boeing with around 300 passengers and crew on board burst one of its tyres at ZIA on arrival from Bangkok, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd sources said.
"One of the tyres of the aircraft burst soon after it touched down at Zia International Airport at 12:10pm," an airport high official told The Daily Star.
"Emergency workers evacuated the passengers from the plane," he said, adding, "The plane left ZIA at 2:30pm after changing its burst tyre."
The same thing happened at Shah Amanat International Airport while a Biman DC10-30 was landing around 12:30pm.
"One of the tyres of the aircraft burst and three others were damaged," a Biman high official said.
The flight from Abudhabi was destined for Dhaka via Chittagong.
"All the passengers of the aircraft were evacuated safely," the official added.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines yesterday sent spare wheels and engineers to Chittagong.
On July 3, passengers and crew of another Biman DC10-30 escaped unhurt when six of its tyres exploded while landing at ZIA.

Sourece: Daily Star dated 2008-08-20

Biman launches direct flight on Dhaka-London route

Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Monday launched direct flights on Dhaka-London route by DC 10-30 flight, reducing travel times of the passengers.

Now, the flight takes 10 hours and 15 minutes to reach London from Dhaka where as it took 14 hours when Biman operated the flights via Dubai.

Biman runs five flights on Dhaka-London-Dhaka route throughout the week except Thursday and Friday. The flights are 001, 005, 013, 015 and 017.

Sourece : The Daily Star, Dated:20-08-2008

GMG's flight to Saudi Arabia uncertain as Biman won't quit slots - State-owned carrier wants to utilise all frequencies within a short time

GMG Airlines' plans to fly to Saudi Arabia has been blocked by state-owned Biman that has refused to allow the country's largest private carrier to use its idle landing rights to the lucrative Middle East destination.
The move has forced GMG to slash its 2008 turnover forecast by 37 percent to Tk 850 crore from Tk 1,350 crore, with the company warning that rocketing fuel prices may further force it to scale back its targets.
National carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, has the right to land 13 times a week in Saudi Arabia, but has only ten flights a week, leaving three slots idle. Previously the government indicated that it would distribute unused rights to other Bangladeshi carriers.
However, Biman has objected to give up any of its slots, claiming it will use them all later this year by adding additional flights to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is an important route as it is the number one destination for Bangladeshi workers.
"It's unfortunate. It would have been easier for us to reach our turnover target if we could fly to Saudi Arabia," said Abdus Sattar, chairman of GMG Airlines, recording a turnover between Tk 60-70 crore a month now.
In 2007 GMG's turnover reached Tk 280 crore.
The GMG chairman said the carrier projected its turnover for 2008 based mainly on two routes, UAE and Saudi Arabia.
“We forecast the turnover based on mainly two new routes, but we have only got one,” he said.
With seven aircraft in its fleet, the oldest private carrier GMG started flights to Dubai in February 2008 as its seventh international destination. But it is yet to bag a good number of passengers because of a poor response in return flights and frequent flight delays due to technical glitches.
The GMG chairman said the route is yet to become profitable.
The airline has downsized its turnover expectation at a time when airlines across the globe are worried about losses due to the consistent surges in fuel prices, hitting close to $140 per barrel, early this week.
In Bangladesh, all five local airlines, including the three new carriers who recently entered the market to exploit a slice of about 7.5 percent growth in air traffic a year, are also in trouble due to fuel price increases, the burden of which has been passed onto the passengers. The airlines apprehended that it might negatively affect passenger flow.
The Saudi routes shared by Biman and Saudi Arabia Airlines, provides Biman with a steady revenue flow at about 2.5-3 lakh passengers, traveling between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
The national carrier, which had earlier signed a $1.265 billion deal with Boeing for acquiring 8 aircraft, is unwilling to share its prime market on the ground that it would hurt its earning at a time when it is going to strengthen its fleet.
“We want to utilise all our frequencies within a short time,” said a senior official of Biman.
Sattar said, “They would have to wait till September to see whether Biman utilises their slots. If Biman does not utilise their slots at that time, we may get it.”
The carrier now plans to start flights on some new destinations, Karachi, Kuwait, Muscat, Abu Dhabi and Doha, despite problems such as delays and cut in flights.
"We expect an additional Tk 10 crore in monthly turnover by flying on these destinations," the chairman said.
He said GMG would expand its routes after adding a leased aircraft.
Since its inception in 1998, the GMG Airlines initially operated flights only on domestic routes for six years and later got permission to operate on international routes in 2004.

Source: the Daily Star dated 16-08-2008

Best Air's Dhaka-Dubai Route to Start 27th Aug -2008

Best Air, the country's third private airline, is likely to start its Dhaka-Dubai-Dhaka route from 27th-August-2008.

“Initially we will fly on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday,” Best Air director (Marketing and Sales) Farhad Hossain told the news agency by telephone.
For the new Dhaka-Dubai-Dhaka route, the aviation company would take lease 162-seat MD-83, and the aircraft will be available by next week.
Best Air has already got permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to operate flights to Kuala Lumpur.
“After the inauguration of the Dhaka-Dubai route we will go for Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route via Chittagong three days a week,” Farhad said, adding that there is a possibility of starting Chittagong-Dubai route simultaneously at that time.
Best Air now operates on Dhaka-Bangkok and Dhaka-Colombo-Male routes with its lone Boeing 737-200.

Source: The Daily Star Dated 14-08-2008

Air India cuts Dubai fare ahead of Jet’s flight

P.R. Sanjai; Mumbai: State-run carrier National Aviation Co. of India Ltd, or Nacil, that operates Air India, has slashed business class fares on the India-Dubai route by 25% for one month between 15 August and 15 September, even as Mumbai-based Jet Airways (India) Ltd readies to start flying daily from Mumbai and New Delhi to Dubai from 23 August.
Travel agents expect Air India to extend reduced business class fare beyond 15 September, and 10-15% reduction in economy class fare on this route.
The India-Dubai route is the mainstay of Emirates and Air India, with 2.5 million passengers annually and growing at 15-20% every year. This will be Jet’s 20th international and sixth West Asian destination. The Naresh Goyal-promoted carrier currently runs daily services to Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat and Doha in West Asia from various Indian cities.
Air India has slashed its return business class air fare on the Mumbai-Dubai sector to Rs33,184, including taxes, from Rs44,195. A paring of the fares was communicated to travel agents by Kailash Singh, passenger sales manager, western India, Nacil, in a circular dated 8 August. Jet has launched an introductory business class return fare, including taxes, at Rs35,238.

Source:Livemint 2008-08-13