DC-10 aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines will make its last passenger flight on its Dhaka-Kuwait-Birmingham route on February 20. Some forty-three years ago, the legendary workhorse logged its maiden voyage for passengers on August 5, 1971, the year of Bangladesh Liberation, on an American Airlines round trip between Los Angeles and Chicago. And now the final-flight honour goes to Biman Bangladesh Airlines, a news release said in Dhaka on Thursday.
The legendary workhorse will make some fanfare flights in the skies of Birmingham for the following three days too as it flies nine scenic tour flights.
The aircraft, after its last flight on the afternoon of February 24 will then get prepped for its delivery to a museum.
The first DC-10 joined Biman fleet in August 1983 and the last one (S2-ACR) was purchased new in 1989. DC-10s have been the backbone of the Biman fleet for nearly a quarter century and at one time the fleet numbered six aircraft.
With the advent of 4th generation Boeing 777s, the DC-10s began phasing out gradually from the fleet and the last one, S2-ACR makes the final passenger flight on February 20.
Biman will operate three scenic tours every day in the skies of in and around Birmingham. Every scenic tour flight will make rooms for 144 flyers (Window 72, Aisle 72).
The last passenger flight on Dhaka-Kuwait-Birmingham has 314 seats on sale. Passengers are welcomed to book either the last flight from Dhaka or to book the scenic flights online via the Biman web site: www.biman-airlines.com.
‘Tickets will only be sold via our web site, so do not buy tickets elsewhere, we want these tickets to go to genuine aviation enthusiasts,’ said Kevin Steel, managing director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
The first wide-bodied tri-jet, the Douglas DC-10 had a checkered beginning in the 1970s, but became a mainstay of medium and long-haul routes of many airlines around the world.
-With New Age input
