Biman to get seven planes on lease

The national flag carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd, plans to procure seven planes on lease in order to overcome the frequent flight schedule disruption and provide smooth service to the passengers.
“We are planning to procure seven aircrafts on lease to overcome the carrier shortage,” Biman Managing Director Air Commodore (retd) Muhammad Zakiul Islam told The Independent in an interview.
The aircrafts which will be procured on lease are two Boeing-777s (200ER), two Boeing-777s, two Boeing-737s and one Airbus (310). These seven aircrafts will join Bangladesh Biman within six-months.
Replying to a query he said they would add two new Boeing -777s to the fleet in 2011, two years ahead of their delivery schedule in 2013 on the basis of the purchase agreement with the Boeing company.
“Biman is now in a critical condition. We have now four old DC-10s, two airbuses, in addition to two F-28 small aircraft operating on the domestic routes. All these carriers are old causing frequent flight outage,” the Biman managing director said.
He said as two planes out of the initial deal of four Boeings would arrive ahead of the original schedule, the annual ‘escalation fee’ of the wider deal covering 10 aircrafts will result in advantage to the buyer.
On April 24, 2008, the national carrier signed an agreement with the US aircraft maker Boeing to buy eight new planes for $1.26 billion as part of a fleet overhaul to make the airline profitable
Zakiul Islam said Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd and The Orient Thai Airlines Company Ltd signed a lease agreement to deploy Boeing 747 to operate the upcoming hajj flights.
Mr. Udom Tantiprasongchai from Orient Thai and Biman Managing Director Air Commodore (retd) Muhammad Zakiul Islam signed the agreement on behalf of the respective organisations.
Oriental Thai was the lowest bidder when Biman floated the RFP for lease of the Boeing 747 aircraft for hajj operation in June this year. Oriental Thai operated the hajj flights in 2008-2009 as well. 
 
Courtesy of The Independent