Kathmandu Flight
Biman, United to use narrow-body aircraft due to runway crack
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and United Airways Limited are likely to use narrow-body aircrafts for Dhaka-Kathmandu flights as Nepal has banned all wide-body aircraft at Kathmandu Airport.
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal on August 18 issued a notification imposing the ban for three months between September and November as 3050-metre runway at the airport developed cracks causing a number of international flights to be delayed, diverted or cancelled in the past few weeks.
According to the notification, all major airlines, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines along with Air Asia, Dragonair, Korean Air, Pakistan International Airlines, Thai Airways International and Turkish Airlines, who operate flights by wide-body aircraft, will need to either use narrow-body aircraft or suspend their Kathmandu flights during the ban.
A Spanish company has been enlisted to study the capacity and condition of the runway and the company is scheduled for submitting its report in a few weeks, the notification said adding that the repair of the runway would be done based on the report, but until then, the runway would remain closed to all wide-body aircrafts.
Biman managing director Kevin Steele told New Age, ‘Biman would not be affected by the restriction, as we are currently using Boeing-737-800, which is narrow body aircraft.’
United Airways public relations division assistant general manager Md Kamrul Islam told New Age, ‘We are aware of the runway renovation at Kathmandu Airport and we have already taken necessary steps to cope with this situation.’
At present, United uses MD-83 aircraft to operate flights on Dhaka-Kathmandu route, he said.
‘We would use ATR-72 which is narrow-body aircraft if the restriction comes into effect in September,’ added Kamrul.
-With New Age input
