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{{Infobox Airline| airline = Biman Bangladesh Airlines
বিমান বাংলাদেশ| logo = BimanLogo.jpg| logo_size = 200px| fleet_size = 12 (7 in active service)| destinations = 23| IATA = BG| ICAO = BBC| callsign = BANGLADESH| parent =| subsidiaries = Biman Flight Catering Centre
Biman Poultry Complex
Biman Airlines Training Center, [Bangladesh & [Managing director)| hubs = Zia International Airport:বিমান বাংলাদেশ) is the [Flag carrier of Bangladesh, based at Zia International Airport in Dhaka. It provides domestic as well as international service to Asia and Europe, but derives most of its revenue from flights to Osmani International Airport, Sylhet. It has Air Services Agreements with 42 countries; it maintains flights to 18. Until July 2007, the airlines was owned by the Government of Bangladesh; on 23 July 2007, it was transformed into Bangladesh's largest Public Limited Company by the then Caretaker government of Bangladesh.

Created in February 1972, Biman operated an internal monopoly in Bangladesh until 1996. Dogged by corruption and accidents, the airline suffers from an ageing fleet, with some of its long-haul aircraft banned for safety reasons from the United States and European Union#Member states member states. Annual Hajj flights, labour migrants as well as Biman's subsidiaries, form an important part of the carrier's business. Biman has a 2 star ranking out of 5 by Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based consultancy.

History at London Stansted Airport in 1979Biman Bangladesh Airlines was established on 4 January 1972 to be Bangladesh's national airline under the Bangladesh Biman Ordinance (Presidential Order No. 126). The initiative to launch the national flag carrier, was taken by 2,500 former employees, including 10 Boeing 707 commanders and 7 other pilots, of Pakistan International Airlines, who submitted a proposal to the government on 31 December 1971 following the independence of Bangladesh.The History of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Jatree, Page 6. Biman Bangladesh Airlines. January-March 1987. The airline was initially called Air Bangladesh International but was soon renamed Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Biman is a Bengali language word meaning airplane; it originates from the Sanskrit word Vimana, a name given to a flying machine mentioned in ancient Vedas literature. The logo, painted on the tail, is a stylised white stork (Balaka in Bengali) inside a red circle. The initial livery was a dark blue line extending across the aircraft along the windows and engulfing the tail section. This was replaced in the 1980s by dark green and red lines, matching the colours of the Bangladesh flag, and has remained in place for over two decades. The Balaka has also given its name to the Biman headquarters, the Balaka Bhaban (Balaka Building), and a landmark sculpture in Dhaka depicting storks is in front of Biman's former headquarters.

On 4 February 1972, Biman started its domestic service on the Dhaka–Chittagong, Dhaka–Jessore and Dhaka–Sylhet routes with a World War II vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas DC-3, both gifts from the Bangladesh Air Force. On 10 February 1972, Biman experienced its first accident when the Douglas DC-3 crashed near Dhaka during a flight test, killing all five crew members. A Douglas DC-6 was immediately leased from Troll Air, a Norway airline, to keep the domestic service running. On 4 March 1972, Biman started its international operations with a once-a-week flight to London using a Boeing 707 chartered from British Caledonian. The short haul fleet was supplemented by a Fokker F27 from India on 3 March 1972 which saw the start of a daily flight between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Dhaka on 28 April 1972.The History of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Jatree. Page 7. Biman Bangladesh Airlines. January-March 1987. Three additional Fokker F27s were acquired during March and September of the same year bringing the number of Fokker F27 aircraft to four. In the first year of operation, Biman operated 1,079 flights carrying just over 380,000 passengers.The History of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Jatree. Page 8. Biman Bangladesh Airlines. January-March 1987.

Four additional Fokker F27s, purchased from Australia and the Netherlands, joined the fleet in 1973 enabling Biman to double the frequency of the Kolkata flight to a twice daily service. A Boeing 707 was added to the fleet in September and the flight to London became twice weekly, while a Chittagong-Kolkata flight also began operating at the same time. In 1974 operations were extended to Kathmandu (February), Bangkok (November) and Dubai (December). In 1976, Biman sold two of its Fokker F27s and bought another Boeing 707 to extend international services to Abu Dhabi, Karachi and Mumbai. Singapore was added to Biman's list of international destinations, when a third Boeing 707 was purchased in February 1977, followed by Jeddah, Doha and Amsterdam the following year which also saw the purchase of its fourth Boeing 707, from the United States. In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector corporation to be governed by a board of directors appointed by the government. The airline Breakeven for the first time in 1977–78, and made a profit the following year. International destinations expanded to include Kuala Lampur, Athens, Muscat and Tripoli in 1979, followed by Yangon, Tokyo and Dhahran in 1980.

landing

In 1983, three Douglas DC-10s joined the fleet and the airline started to phase out the Boeing 707s. The network expanded further to include Baghdad (1983), Paris (1984) and Bahrain (1986). On 4 August 1984, Biman faced its worst accident when a Fokker F27 flying in from Chittagong crashed near Dhaka, killing all 49 on board including Captain Kaniz Fatema Roksana, the airline's first female pilot. The long haul fleet was supplemented by the purchase of two new Airbus A310s in 1996 followed by the addition of two more in 2000, from Singapore Airlines and Air Jamaica, and another in 2003.

In the 2005–06 fiscal year, Biman carried 1.15 million passengers, a growth of 70% from the previous decade's average. However, with the rise of private domestic carriers in Bangladesh, Biman's market share for domestic passengers dropped by 35% over the previous ten years' average, with only 162,000 passengers travelling with Biman in the domestic sector in the 2005–06 fiscal year. During the same period, Biman reported its biggest annual loss of over USD120 million (Bangladeshi taka8.3 billion), with a US$100 million (Tk6.9 billion) loss reported the following year.{{cite news |url=http://www.newagebd.com/2006/jun/12/nat.html |title=Biman loses Tk 836cr in first 10 months of 2005-06 fiscal |publisher=New Age BD |date=2006-06-12 ].

Management The airline was wholly owned by the Bangladesh government through the Bangladesh Biman Corporation since its inception. In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector corporation which afforded Biman limited autonomy, governed by a board of directors appointed by the government. The authorised share capital was increased to Tk2 billion in 1987, and Biman was transformed into a public limited company, the largest in Bangladesh, in 2007.

During the late 1980s, Hossain Mohammad Ershad, President of Bangladesh at the time, served as president of Biman. After an early period of expansion and growth, Biman entered an era of nose-diving profits and slow growth, exacerbated by incompetent and corrupt management; with padding of purchases, falsified repair bills and unprofitable routes kept in operation for political reasons. Research conducted in 1996 found that Biman had 5,253 non-flying personnel, 30% more than Singapore Airlines which had almost a ten-times larger fleet. The report described Biman as "poorly managed, overstaffed, undercapitalized, and subject to excessive political interference in its day-to-day management."

In the 1992–93 fiscal year, accounts under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism revealed that Tk22 million in tax was not paid to the Government. The audit carried out in 1999, also showed that Biman was owed Tk2.2 million by travel agents from the proceeds of ticket sales, most likely with the collusion of Biman officials. Additionally, Tk2.4 million was overpaid as incentive commission to the sales agents in violation of Biman policies. In 2007, the Caretaker government of Bangladesh launched an anti-corruption drive which saw the arrest of Shamim Iskander, the brother of ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia and a former Biman flight engineer, on multiple corruption charges. This was shortly followed by the forced retirement of 35 other employees and officials, some of whom were close aides of Iskander.

Privatisation Due to the growing losses, which began in the late 1990s, the government offered 40% of Biman to foreign airlines in 2004, hoping a buyer would take over the management of the carrier. However, the proposal demanded that many decision-making rights remain with the Bangladesh government, and the offer was ignored by outside airlines. A similar initiative in 1998 cost Biman US$1.6 million in consultancy fees with no positive results.{{cite web |url=http://www.newagebd.com/2006/nov/18/front.html#3 |title=Biman’s call for strategic partner flops | publisher=New Age |date=2006-11-18 ] 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd became the largest Public Limited Company in Bangladesh. Earlier suggestions that the airline should be renamed Bangladesh Airlines Ltd were rejected. The government is the sole shareholder of the 1.5 billion shares but intends to offer 49% to the private sector while retaining majority ownership. The previous Managing Director, Dr. Abdul Momen, was appointed the CEO as well as Managing Director in the new organisation. The six board of directors have been appointed from the ministries of energy, commerce, finance, civil aviation, foreign affairs and the cabinet division with the cabinet secretary taking on the role as Chairman. The six secretaries and a joint secretary to the civil aviation ministry have been made the seven shareholders of the new PLC.

Following the privatisation, an initiative was launched by ex-Biman employees, who left the organisation via the VRS, to setup a competing airline. Names proposed for the airline included Air Bangla International, Biman Employees Airlines and Balaka. Ex-Biman workers to float private airline, Staff Writer, India eNews, 2007-06-07; Retrieved: 2007-09-04 They were joined by previous managing directors of Biman, along with the former president of the Bangladesh Airline Pilots' Association.

Services Biman is notable for poor customer service and regular disruptions to its flight schedule including lengthy delays and cancellations which is reflected in its Star ranking from Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based consultancy whose research is used by the UK government in formulating air transport policy. The 2 star ranking (out of 5) is indicative of the poor standard of service provided by the airline which falls below the industry average.

A two-class service (J & Y) is operated on its wide-body airliners and a single class service on the smaller aircraft. The Maslin Executive Class cabin on its Airbus A310s is setup in a 2-3-2 configuration while the setup on the Douglas DC-10-30s is a more roomy 2-2-2 configuration. The economy class cabins are setup in a typical 2-5-2 configuration.

English and Bengali language newspapers are available on board the aircraft along with Biman's in-flight magazine, Digonto (Horizon) which is published quarterly and available on all flights and selected hotels in Bangladesh. It covers a wide range of topics with emphasis on tourist destinations in Bangladesh and other places reachable by Biman. While the majority of the content is in English, for an international audience, some features are available in other languages including Bengali.

In-flight entertainment aboard Biman aircraft is rated "very poor" by Skytrax. The Douglas DC-10-30s are equipped with a projector in each cabin while the Airbus A310s have monitors that drop down from the ceiling below the luggage racks in the center of the aircraft. While other airlines utilising modern aircraft are able to provide more personal in-flight experiences via seatback LCD screens, Biman's ageing fleet has maintained the standard equipment available when the planes were manufactured.

Biman operates a frequent flyer programme which awards customers with a free round trip flight on production of ticket stubs for ten round trip journeys on Biman. The free ticket is for the route which has been flown the most out of the ten. Journeys on local routes are excluded from the offer.

An agreement was signed with Amadeus CRS in 2007 to upgrade Biman's ticketing system with an Electronic ticket solution in order to comply with International Air Transport Association rules, which set out a deadline of 31 December 2007 for all member airlines to switch over their ticketing systems. E-ticketing has enabled major airlines, such as British Airways, to provide online check-in facilities reducing the need to queue-up at check-in counters. However, Biman has not indicated the adoption of e-ticketing would provide customers with an improved service apart from reducing its own costs and allowing it to meet increasing demand. In 2005, Biman had briefly stopped using the Amadeus ticketing system when the government suspended the operation of a local Amadeus subsidiary following a court order, after allegations of money laundering. However, the suspension, lasting only a month, was lifted after the writ was appealed in the High Court.

Biman Cargo Biman also operates a cargo service using the cargo holds of its passenger aircraft to ship freight to international destinations. It has established a Cargo Village at Zia International Airport where the cargo is packaged and labelled before being loaded onto its aircraft.

While the air cargo industry in Bangladesh grew by 16.5% in the fiscal year 2003–04, Biman's cargo operations remained stagnant when private operators such as Bismillah Airlines, Best Aviation and Air Bangladesh produced a 108% growth from the previous year. The private operators increased their share of the cargo market by 10.6% and were responsible for handling 24% of the total 99,000 tons of cargo at the expense of both Biman and foreign airlines which saw a reduction in their shares by 4.6% and 6% respectively. Foreign airlines handled 47% of the total cargo with Biman taking on the remaining 29%.

As with its passenger service and management, corruption has also been rife at Biman Cargo. An investigation in 2004 uncovered irregularities in a number of Biman's Middle East operations which deprived the government of millions of dollars in revenue. Biman officials in Dubai were found to have been "extending special privileges" to the main freight handler in exchange for bribes. Smuggling of foreign currency and gold bars is reported to have taken place at the Biman Cargo Village by Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) employees. A number of arrests have been made but the perpetrators evade punishment through lack of evidence and pressure from the CAAB union.

Destinations Biman has air services agreements with 42 countries but operates its routes to 18, leaving room for expansion for which it lacks aircraft. The airline operates flights to several destinations in the Middle East, some destinations in South and South East Asia and only two destinations in Europe – Rome and London. Foreign airlines are encroaching on Biman's routes, particularly the lucrative London–Dhaka route which traditionally only Biman and British Airways have operated direct flights on. In 2005, Air India commenced a route which permitted flights between London and Dhaka without requiring a transit flight which has occupied the space freed up by Biman when it reduced London–Dhaka flights. New airlines are also hoping to cash in on Biman's shortfall: Air Sylhet and Royal Bengal Airlines are two such airlines launched by expatriate British-Bangladeshis hoping to provide direct flights between London and Dhaka.

New York and Manchester From 1993 to 2006, Biman operated flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York from Dhaka via Brussels Airport. New York was Biman's farthest and most prestigious destination and was kept running despite heavy financial losses on each flight in order to maintain a landing slot in the US which, if cancelled, could be difficult to regain.

To curb the losses, Biman reduced the service to one flight per week and re-routed it through Manchester Airport in England, capitalising on travel demands from the expatriate Bangladeshi community in the north of England. On 8 April 2006, Biman's inaugural flight to Manchester landed at Manchester Airport en-route to JFK. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had placed the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) into Category 2 (does not meet International Civil Aviation Organization standards) according to its International Aviation Safety Assessment Program, which placed additional restrictions on the country's airlines when flying to the US. A former CAAB assistant director made scathing remarks about the CAAB in an opinion article in the Aviatour, a monthly travel and tourism supplement of Bangladeshi news magazine Weekly Holiday. For Biman, this meant that it could continue flying to the US, but could not expand or make changes to its routes such as changing the transit from Brussels to Manchester. The FAA fined Biman for breaching its rules, and flights to New York were again re-routed through Brussels.

landingPreviously, the FAA had warned Biman to replace its ageing DC-10s by December 2005. According to experts, these aircraft did not have the necessary equipment for safely crossing the Atlantic. On 13 May 2006, the FAA refused permission for Biman flight BG011 (DAC-DXB-BRU-JFK) to enter its airspace, citing safety concerns over the ailing DC-10 aircraft being used on the route. The flight was diverted to Montreal Airport in Canada where the passengers were provided with alternative airline options to complete their journey. Canadian authorities inspected the aircraft and gave it a clean bill of health after which the aircraft returned to Dhaka without any passengers. The FAA eventually admitted it was mistaken and apologised for the error.

The incident put an end to the route, which had been losing US$80,000 per flight due to its use of obsolete DC-10s. Biman decided to axe the route along with a number of other regional and domestic routes to curb the huge losses being incurred each month.

Hajj flights The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah for the Hajj is undertaken by thousands of Bangladesh's predominantly Muslim population. Biman has been the sole Bangladeshi airline permitted by the government to provide flights for pilgrims. Every year, the commencement of these flights is inaugurated by high ranking government officials including, at times, the Prime Minister.

In 2002, the government opened the service to private operator Air Bangladesh. The initial private flights were plagued with delays, with both outgoing and return flights postponed for as long as nine days, which caused the Bangladesh government to return the Hajj flights monopoly to Biman.

Biman's handling of Hajj flights has been beset with troubles. In 2005, the State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism resigned after complaints that he set fares too high. In 2006, Biman took the unprecedented step of removing the business-class seats from its dedicated Hajj flights to accommodate more economy-class passengers. Procedural irregularities by the Hajj agencies delayed the confirmation of pilgrims' visas, and Biman had to cancel 19 flights due to lack of sufficient passengers. Once the situation was resolved, Biman was then unable to offer the required number of flights to cope with the backlog of passengers.

In June 2007, the caretaker government approved a three-year Hajj policy aiming to alleviate the problems encountered during the previous two years. Hajj flights would begin leaving from Bangladesh's two other international airports, Shah Amanat International Airport and Osmani International Airport. Biman put out a tender for the wet lease of two aircraft for additional Hajj flights and reached an agreement with Phuket Air. However, the deal fell through in August 2007 after Phuket Air demanded advance payment of 30% instead of the previously agreed 10%. Ausban Aeronautical Services of Australia was selected next, following a re-tender, to fill the gap left by Phuket Air.

Fleet Biman started operations with a gift from the Bangladesh Air Force of a vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas DC-3 which had seen service in World War II. Domestic operations commenced with the acquisition of four Fokker F27 aircraft flying passengers to Chittagong and Sylhet from its base in Dhaka. Shortly afterwards, a Boeing 707, chartered from British Caledonian, joined the airline's fleet, allowing Biman to begin international flights. In 1983, Biman purchased three Douglas DC-10 aircraft from Singapore Airlines to provide services on its long haul routes.

For over two decades, the DC-10-30s were Biman's sole widebody airliner and served it well with no notable mechanical problems, a marked contrast to its domestic operations, operated with Fokker F28 and BAe ATPs, which were routinely out of service due to various problems. In one incident, a government minister deboarded a flight and travelled by road when he learned that the aircraft was a BAe ATP. In January 2003, Biman leased two Boeing 737s which were used on domestic and regional routes for one and a half years. These acted as a replacement for the BAe ATPs.

During the mid 90s, Biman switched its airliner of choice for long-haul routes to the Airbus series of aircraft. Two new Airbus A310s joined Biman's fleet in 1996 followed by one more in 2000. It has nevertheless maintained its ailing DC-10 fleet which has been banned by several countries (notably the US and the EU member states) for safety concerns. The airline maintains its own ancillary and maintenance facilities at Zia International Airport, where it carries out all maintenance work on F28s, and C-Checks on DC-10–30s and A310–300s.

Modernisation Douglas DC-10s and Airbus A310s make up most of Biman's international fleet. Fokker F28s make up the remainder of the fleet for the domestic and regional sectors. Biman's fleet contains the final Douglas DC-10 to come off the production line for passenger service, and only three other Airbus A310s were produced following Biman's purchase of two new Airbus A310s in 1996. Biman's most recent additions to its fleet are two Fokker F28s acquired from PBair in 2004 at a cost of US$2.91 million. Both of these aircraft were built in 1977, making Biman's latest acquisitions the oldest aircraft in its fleet.

The ageing fleet has made it difficult for Biman to maintain flight schedules as the aircraft suffer from mechanical problems, leading to flight delays, cancellations, inconvenience to passengers, and higher operating costs. A number of aircraft have remained grounded due to lack of available parts as they are no longer manufactured and used parts are difficult to source.

In 2000, Biman put out an RFP for the acquisition of four wide-bodied aircraft to replace the DC-10s, but both the fleet renewal plans and the airline's expected privatisation were shelved by the government. A further attempt was made in 2005 to acquire new aircraft and plans were submitted for the purchase of ten new wide-bodied Airbus and Boeing aircraft at a total cost of US$1 billion. Boeing arranged to finance the purchase provided a guarantee was given by the Bangladesh government. After bureaucratic delays and a perceived lack of commitment from the government, it lost interest and the plans were cancelled. A similar attempt to purchase medium aircraft for domestic service was also postponed.

In March 2007, Biman put out a tender for the dry lease of two Airbus A310-300 and two Airbus A300-600 aircraft for two years. The sole response to the tender came from Star Aviation of the United Arab Emirates.

Current fleet As of May 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines fleet consists of 12 aircraft of which seven are in active service:{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"|+ Biman Bangladesh Airlines Fleet|- bgcolor=lightgreen!Aircraft!Total!Passengers
(First/Economy)!Routes!Notes|-|Airbus A310|3|25/196|International||-|McDonnell Douglas DC-10|5|30/244|International||-|Fokker F28|4|0/80|Regional/Domestic||}

Subsidiaries Biman has non-aviation enterprises, one of which is the Biman Flight Catering Centre (BFCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Biman Bangladesh Airlines which was set up in 1989. The BFCC provides Biman's in-flight meals and is one of Biman's profitable operations, supplying food to British Airways, Qatar Airways, Dragonair, Uzbekistan Airways and Iran Air, along with casual orders from other airlines operating in Bangladesh.The BFCC consumes 90% of the eggs and chicken from the Biman Poultry Complex, another profit-making subsidiary of Biman formed in 1976 and put into operation in November 1980 to rear poultry at farms in Dhaka. Bird flu was detected at one of the farms in March 2007, and many of the birds were culled. This was the first incident of bird flu in Bangladesh.

Incidents and accidents

References External links

{{Infobox Airline| airline = Biman Bangladesh Airlines
বিমান বাংলাদেশ| logo = BimanLogo.jpg| logo_size = 200px| fleet_size = 12 (7 in active service)| destinations = 23| IATA = BG| ICAO = BBC| callsign = BANGLADESH| parent =| subsidiaries = Biman Flight Catering Centre
Biman Poultry Complex
Biman Airlines Training Center, [Bangladesh & [Managing director)| hubs = Zia International Airport:বিমান বাংলাদেশ) is the [Flag carrier of Bangladesh, based at Zia International Airport in Dhaka. It provides domestic as well as international service to Asia and Europe, but derives most of its revenue from flights to Osmani International Airport, Sylhet. It has Air Services Agreements with 42 countries; it maintains flights to 18. Until July 2007, the airlines was owned by the Government of Bangladesh; on 23 July 2007, it was transformed into Bangladesh's largest Public Limited Company by the then Caretaker government of Bangladesh.

Created in February 1972, Biman operated an internal monopoly in Bangladesh until 1996. Dogged by corruption and accidents, the airline suffers from an ageing fleet, with some of its long-haul aircraft banned for safety reasons from the United States and European Union#Member states member states. Annual Hajj flights, labour migrants as well as Biman's subsidiaries, form an important part of the carrier's business. Biman has a 2 star ranking out of 5 by Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based consultancy.

History at London Stansted Airport in 1979Biman Bangladesh Airlines was established on 4 January 1972 to be Bangladesh's national airline under the Bangladesh Biman Ordinance (Presidential Order No. 126). The initiative to launch the national flag carrier, was taken by 2,500 former employees, including 10 Boeing 707 commanders and 7 other pilots, of Pakistan International Airlines, who submitted a proposal to the government on 31 December 1971 following the independence of Bangladesh.The History of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Jatree, Page 6. Biman Bangladesh Airlines. January-March 1987. The airline was initially called Air Bangladesh International but was soon renamed Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Biman is a Bengali language word meaning airplane; it originates from the Sanskrit word Vimana, a name given to a flying machine mentioned in ancient Vedas literature. The logo, painted on the tail, is a stylised white stork (Balaka in Bengali) inside a red circle. The initial livery was a dark blue line extending across the aircraft along the windows and engulfing the tail section. This was replaced in the 1980s by dark green and red lines, matching the colours of the Bangladesh flag, and has remained in place for over two decades. The Balaka has also given its name to the Biman headquarters, the Balaka Bhaban (Balaka Building), and a landmark sculpture in Dhaka depicting storks is in front of Biman's former headquarters.

On 4 February 1972, Biman started its domestic service on the Dhaka–Chittagong, Dhaka–Jessore and Dhaka–Sylhet routes with a World War II vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas DC-3, both gifts from the Bangladesh Air Force. On 10 February 1972, Biman experienced its first accident when the Douglas DC-3 crashed near Dhaka during a flight test, killing all five crew members. A Douglas DC-6 was immediately leased from Troll Air, a Norway airline, to keep the domestic service running. On 4 March 1972, Biman started its international operations with a once-a-week flight to London using a Boeing 707 chartered from British Caledonian. The short haul fleet was supplemented by a Fokker F27 from India on 3 March 1972 which saw the start of a daily flight between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Dhaka on 28 April 1972.The History of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Jatree. Page 7. Biman Bangladesh Airlines. January-March 1987. Three additional Fokker F27s were acquired during March and September of the same year bringing the number of Fokker F27 aircraft to four. In the first year of operation, Biman operated 1,079 flights carrying just over 380,000 passengers.The History of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Jatree. Page 8. Biman Bangladesh Airlines. January-March 1987.

Four additional Fokker F27s, purchased from Australia and the Netherlands, joined the fleet in 1973 enabling Biman to double the frequency of the Kolkata flight to a twice daily service. A Boeing 707 was added to the fleet in September and the flight to London became twice weekly, while a Chittagong-Kolkata flight also began operating at the same time. In 1974 operations were extended to Kathmandu (February), Bangkok (November) and Dubai (December). In 1976, Biman sold two of its Fokker F27s and bought another Boeing 707 to extend international services to Abu Dhabi, Karachi and Mumbai. Singapore was added to Biman's list of international destinations, when a third Boeing 707 was purchased in February 1977, followed by Jeddah, Doha and Amsterdam the following year which also saw the purchase of its fourth Boeing 707, from the United States. In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector corporation to be governed by a board of directors appointed by the government. The airline Breakeven for the first time in 1977–78, and made a profit the following year. International destinations expanded to include Kuala Lampur, Athens, Muscat and Tripoli in 1979, followed by Yangon, Tokyo and Dhahran in 1980.

landing

In 1983, three Douglas DC-10s joined the fleet and the airline started to phase out the Boeing 707s. The network expanded further to include Baghdad (1983), Paris (1984) and Bahrain (1986). On 4 August 1984, Biman faced its worst accident when a Fokker F27 flying in from Chittagong crashed near Dhaka, killing all 49 on board including Captain Kaniz Fatema Roksana, the airline's first female pilot. The long haul fleet was supplemented by the purchase of two new Airbus A310s in 1996 followed by the addition of two more in 2000, from Singapore Airlines and Air Jamaica, and another in 2003.

In the 2005–06 fiscal year, Biman carried 1.15 million passengers, a growth of 70% from the previous decade's average. However, with the rise of private domestic carriers in Bangladesh, Biman's market share for domestic passengers dropped by 35% over the previous ten years' average, with only 162,000 passengers travelling with Biman in the domestic sector in the 2005–06 fiscal year. During the same period, Biman reported its biggest annual loss of over USD120 million (Bangladeshi taka8.3 billion), with a US$100 million (Tk6.9 billion) loss reported the following year.{{cite news |url=http://www.newagebd.com/2006/jun/12/nat.html |title=Biman loses Tk 836cr in first 10 months of 2005-06 fiscal |publisher=New Age BD |date=2006-06-12 ].

Management The airline was wholly owned by the Bangladesh government through the Bangladesh Biman Corporation since its inception. In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector corporation which afforded Biman limited autonomy, governed by a board of directors appointed by the government. The authorised share capital was increased to Tk2 billion in 1987, and Biman was transformed into a public limited company, the largest in Bangladesh, in 2007.

During the late 1980s, Hossain Mohammad Ershad, President of Bangladesh at the time, served as president of Biman. After an early period of expansion and growth, Biman entered an era of nose-diving profits and slow growth, exacerbated by incompetent and corrupt management; with padding of purchases, falsified repair bills and unprofitable routes kept in operation for political reasons. Research conducted in 1996 found that Biman had 5,253 non-flying personnel, 30% more than Singapore Airlines which had almost a ten-times larger fleet. The report described Biman as "poorly managed, overstaffed, undercapitalized, and subject to excessive political interference in its day-to-day management."

In the 1992–93 fiscal year, accounts under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism revealed that Tk22 million in tax was not paid to the Government. The audit carried out in 1999, also showed that Biman was owed Tk2.2 million by travel agents from the proceeds of ticket sales, most likely with the collusion of Biman officials. Additionally, Tk2.4 million was overpaid as incentive commission to the sales agents in violation of Biman policies. In 2007, the Caretaker government of Bangladesh launched an anti-corruption drive which saw the arrest of Shamim Iskander, the brother of ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia and a former Biman flight engineer, on multiple corruption charges. This was shortly followed by the forced retirement of 35 other employees and officials, some of whom were close aides of Iskander.

Privatisation Due to the growing losses, which began in the late 1990s, the government offered 40% of Biman to foreign airlines in 2004, hoping a buyer would take over the management of the carrier. However, the proposal demanded that many decision-making rights remain with the Bangladesh government, and the offer was ignored by outside airlines. A similar initiative in 1998 cost Biman US$1.6 million in consultancy fees with no positive results.{{cite web |url=http://www.newagebd.com/2006/nov/18/front.html#3 |title=Biman’s call for strategic partner flops | publisher=New Age |date=2006-11-18 ] 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd became the largest Public Limited Company in Bangladesh. Earlier suggestions that the airline should be renamed Bangladesh Airlines Ltd were rejected. The government is the sole shareholder of the 1.5 billion shares but intends to offer 49% to the private sector while retaining majority ownership. The previous Managing Director, Dr. Abdul Momen, was appointed the CEO as well as Managing Director in the new organisation. The six board of directors have been appointed from the ministries of energy, commerce, finance, civil aviation, foreign affairs and the cabinet division with the cabinet secretary taking on the role as Chairman. The six secretaries and a joint secretary to the civil aviation ministry have been made the seven shareholders of the new PLC.

Following the privatisation, an initiative was launched by ex-Biman employees, who left the organisation via the VRS, to setup a competing airline. Names proposed for the airline included Air Bangla International, Biman Employees Airlines and Balaka. Ex-Biman workers to float private airline, Staff Writer, India eNews, 2007-06-07; Retrieved: 2007-09-04 They were joined by previous managing directors of Biman, along with the former president of the Bangladesh Airline Pilots' Association.

Services Biman is notable for poor customer service and regular disruptions to its flight schedule including lengthy delays and cancellations which is reflected in its Star ranking from Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based consultancy whose research is used by the UK government in formulating air transport policy. The 2 star ranking (out of 5) is indicative of the poor standard of service provided by the airline which falls below the industry average.

A two-class service (J & Y) is operated on its wide-body airliners and a single class service on the smaller aircraft. The Maslin Executive Class cabin on its Airbus A310s is setup in a 2-3-2 configuration while the setup on the Douglas DC-10-30s is a more roomy 2-2-2 configuration. The economy class cabins are setup in a typical 2-5-2 configuration.

English and Bengali language newspapers are available on board the aircraft along with Biman's in-flight magazine, Digonto (Horizon) which is published quarterly and available on all flights and selected hotels in Bangladesh. It covers a wide range of topics with emphasis on tourist destinations in Bangladesh and other places reachable by Biman. While the majority of the content is in English, for an international audience, some features are available in other languages including Bengali.

In-flight entertainment aboard Biman aircraft is rated "very poor" by Skytrax. The Douglas DC-10-30s are equipped with a projector in each cabin while the Airbus A310s have monitors that drop down from the ceiling below the luggage racks in the center of the aircraft. While other airlines utilising modern aircraft are able to provide more personal in-flight experiences via seatback LCD screens, Biman's ageing fleet has maintained the standard equipment available when the planes were manufactured.

Biman operates a frequent flyer programme which awards customers with a free round trip flight on production of ticket stubs for ten round trip journeys on Biman. The free ticket is for the route which has been flown the most out of the ten. Journeys on local routes are excluded from the offer.

An agreement was signed with Amadeus CRS in 2007 to upgrade Biman's ticketing system with an Electronic ticket solution in order to comply with International Air Transport Association rules, which set out a deadline of 31 December 2007 for all member airlines to switch over their ticketing systems. E-ticketing has enabled major airlines, such as British Airways, to provide online check-in facilities reducing the need to queue-up at check-in counters. However, Biman has not indicated the adoption of e-ticketing would provide customers with an improved service apart from reducing its own costs and allowing it to meet increasing demand. In 2005, Biman had briefly stopped using the Amadeus ticketing system when the government suspended the operation of a local Amadeus subsidiary following a court order, after allegations of money laundering. However, the suspension, lasting only a month, was lifted after the writ was appealed in the High Court.

Biman Cargo Biman also operates a cargo service using the cargo holds of its passenger aircraft to ship freight to international destinations. It has established a Cargo Village at Zia International Airport where the cargo is packaged and labelled before being loaded onto its aircraft.

While the air cargo industry in Bangladesh grew by 16.5% in the fiscal year 2003–04, Biman's cargo operations remained stagnant when private operators such as Bismillah Airlines, Best Aviation and Air Bangladesh produced a 108% growth from the previous year. The private operators increased their share of the cargo market by 10.6% and were responsible for handling 24% of the total 99,000 tons of cargo at the expense of both Biman and foreign airlines which saw a reduction in their shares by 4.6% and 6% respectively. Foreign airlines handled 47% of the total cargo with Biman taking on the remaining 29%.

As with its passenger service and management, corruption has also been rife at Biman Cargo. An investigation in 2004 uncovered irregularities in a number of Biman's Middle East operations which deprived the government of millions of dollars in revenue. Biman officials in Dubai were found to have been "extending special privileges" to the main freight handler in exchange for bribes. Smuggling of foreign currency and gold bars is reported to have taken place at the Biman Cargo Village by Biman and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) employees. A number of arrests have been made but the perpetrators evade punishment through lack of evidence and pressure from the CAAB union.

Destinations Biman has air services agreements with 42 countries but operates its routes to 18, leaving room for expansion for which it lacks aircraft. The airline operates flights to several destinations in the Middle East, some destinations in South and South East Asia and only two destinations in Europe – Rome and London. Foreign airlines are encroaching on Biman's routes, particularly the lucrative London–Dhaka route which traditionally only Biman and British Airways have operated direct flights on. In 2005, Air India commenced a route which permitted flights between London and Dhaka without requiring a transit flight which has occupied the space freed up by Biman when it reduced London–Dhaka flights. New airlines are also hoping to cash in on Biman's shortfall: Air Sylhet and Royal Bengal Airlines are two such airlines launched by expatriate British-Bangladeshis hoping to provide direct flights between London and Dhaka.

New York and Manchester From 1993 to 2006, Biman operated flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York from Dhaka via Brussels Airport. New York was Biman's farthest and most prestigious destination and was kept running despite heavy financial losses on each flight in order to maintain a landing slot in the US which, if cancelled, could be difficult to regain.

To curb the losses, Biman reduced the service to one flight per week and re-routed it through Manchester Airport in England, capitalising on travel demands from the expatriate Bangladeshi community in the north of England. On 8 April 2006, Biman's inaugural flight to Manchester landed at Manchester Airport en-route to JFK. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had placed the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) into Category 2 (does not meet International Civil Aviation Organization standards) according to its International Aviation Safety Assessment Program, which placed additional restrictions on the country's airlines when flying to the US. A former CAAB assistant director made scathing remarks about the CAAB in an opinion article in the Aviatour, a monthly travel and tourism supplement of Bangladeshi news magazine Weekly Holiday. For Biman, this meant that it could continue flying to the US, but could not expand or make changes to its routes such as changing the transit from Brussels to Manchester. The FAA fined Biman for breaching its rules, and flights to New York were again re-routed through Brussels.

landingPreviously, the FAA had warned Biman to replace its ageing DC-10s by December 2005. According to experts, these aircraft did not have the necessary equipment for safely crossing the Atlantic. On 13 May 2006, the FAA refused permission for Biman flight BG011 (DAC-DXB-BRU-JFK) to enter its airspace, citing safety concerns over the ailing DC-10 aircraft being used on the route. The flight was diverted to Montreal Airport in Canada where the passengers were provided with alternative airline options to complete their journey. Canadian authorities inspected the aircraft and gave it a clean bill of health after which the aircraft returned to Dhaka without any passengers. The FAA eventually admitted it was mistaken and apologised for the error.

The incident put an end to the route, which had been losing US$80,000 per flight due to its use of obsolete DC-10s. Biman decided to axe the route along with a number of other regional and domestic routes to curb the huge losses being incurred each month.

Hajj flights The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah for the Hajj is undertaken by thousands of Bangladesh's predominantly Muslim population. Biman has been the sole Bangladeshi airline permitted by the government to provide flights for pilgrims. Every year, the commencement of these flights is inaugurated by high ranking government officials including, at times, the Prime Minister.

In 2002, the government opened the service to private operator Air Bangladesh. The initial private flights were plagued with delays, with both outgoing and return flights postponed for as long as nine days, which caused the Bangladesh government to return the Hajj flights monopoly to Biman.

Biman's handling of Hajj flights has been beset with troubles. In 2005, the State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism resigned after complaints that he set fares too high. In 2006, Biman took the unprecedented step of removing the business-class seats from its dedicated Hajj flights to accommodate more economy-class passengers. Procedural irregularities by the Hajj agencies delayed the confirmation of pilgrims' visas, and Biman had to cancel 19 flights due to lack of sufficient passengers. Once the situation was resolved, Biman was then unable to offer the required number of flights to cope with the backlog of passengers.

In June 2007, the caretaker government approved a three-year Hajj policy aiming to alleviate the problems encountered during the previous two years. Hajj flights would begin leaving from Bangladesh's two other international airports, Shah Amanat International Airport and Osmani International Airport. Biman put out a tender for the wet lease of two aircraft for additional Hajj flights and reached an agreement with Phuket Air. However, the deal fell through in August 2007 after Phuket Air demanded advance payment of 30% instead of the previously agreed 10%. Ausban Aeronautical Services of Australia was selected next, following a re-tender, to fill the gap left by Phuket Air.

Fleet Biman started operations with a gift from the Bangladesh Air Force of a vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas DC-3 which had seen service in World War II. Domestic operations commenced with the acquisition of four Fokker F27 aircraft flying passengers to Chittagong and Sylhet from its base in Dhaka. Shortly afterwards, a Boeing 707, chartered from British Caledonian, joined the airline's fleet, allowing Biman to begin international flights. In 1983, Biman purchased three Douglas DC-10 aircraft from Singapore Airlines to provide services on its long haul routes.

For over two decades, the DC-10-30s were Biman's sole widebody airliner and served it well with no notable mechanical problems, a marked contrast to its domestic operations, operated with Fokker F28 and BAe ATPs, which were routinely out of service due to various problems. In one incident, a government minister deboarded a flight and travelled by road when he learned that the aircraft was a BAe ATP. In January 2003, Biman leased two Boeing 737s which were used on domestic and regional routes for one and a half years. These acted as a replacement for the BAe ATPs.

During the mid 90s, Biman switched its airliner of choice for long-haul routes to the Airbus series of aircraft. Two new Airbus A310s joined Biman's fleet in 1996 followed by one more in 2000. It has nevertheless maintained its ailing DC-10 fleet which has been banned by several countries (notably the US and the EU member states) for safety concerns. The airline maintains its own ancillary and maintenance facilities at Zia International Airport, where it carries out all maintenance work on F28s, and C-Checks on DC-10–30s and A310–300s.

Modernisation Douglas DC-10s and Airbus A310s make up most of Biman's international fleet. Fokker F28s make up the remainder of the fleet for the domestic and regional sectors. Biman's fleet contains the final Douglas DC-10 to come off the production line for passenger service, and only three other Airbus A310s were produced following Biman's purchase of two new Airbus A310s in 1996. Biman's most recent additions to its fleet are two Fokker F28s acquired from PBair in 2004 at a cost of US$2.91 million. Both of these aircraft were built in 1977, making Biman's latest acquisitions the oldest aircraft in its fleet.

The ageing fleet has made it difficult for Biman to maintain flight schedules as the aircraft suffer from mechanical problems, leading to flight delays, cancellations, inconvenience to passengers, and higher operating costs. A number of aircraft have remained grounded due to lack of available parts as they are no longer manufactured and used parts are difficult to source.

In 2000, Biman put out an RFP for the acquisition of four wide-bodied aircraft to replace the DC-10s, but both the fleet renewal plans and the airline's expected privatisation were shelved by the government. A further attempt was made in 2005 to acquire new aircraft and plans were submitted for the purchase of ten new wide-bodied Airbus and Boeing aircraft at a total cost of US$1 billion. Boeing arranged to finance the purchase provided a guarantee was given by the Bangladesh government. After bureaucratic delays and a perceived lack of commitment from the government, it lost interest and the plans were cancelled. A similar attempt to purchase medium aircraft for domestic service was also postponed.

In March 2007, Biman put out a tender for the dry lease of two Airbus A310-300 and two Airbus A300-600 aircraft for two years. The sole response to the tender came from Star Aviation of the United Arab Emirates.

Current fleet As of May 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines fleet consists of 12 aircraft of which seven are in active service:{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"|+ Biman Bangladesh Airlines Fleet|- bgcolor=lightgreen!Aircraft!Total!Passengers
(First/Economy)!Routes!Notes|-|Airbus A310|3|25/196|International||-|McDonnell Douglas DC-10|5|30/244|International||-|Fokker F28|4|0/80|Regional/Domestic||}

Subsidiaries Biman has non-aviation enterprises, one of which is the Biman Flight Catering Centre (BFCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Biman Bangladesh Airlines which was set up in 1989. The BFCC provides Biman's in-flight meals and is one of Biman's profitable operations, supplying food to British Airways, Qatar Airways, Dragonair, Uzbekistan Airways and Iran Air, along with casual orders from other airlines operating in Bangladesh.The BFCC consumes 90% of the eggs and chicken from the Biman Poultry Complex, another profit-making subsidiary of Biman formed in 1976 and put into operation in November 1980 to rear poultry at farms in Dhaka. Bird flu was detected at one of the farms in March 2007, and many of the birds were culled. This was the first incident of bird flu in Bangladesh.

Incidents and accidents

References External links



 

Biman Bangladesh Airlines



 
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