Airline launches special hajj services
The initial public offering (IPO) of GMG Airlines is likely to be delayed as the airline looks to find a ‘good time’ to go public after having a revised business strategy.
According to GMG, the stockmarket regulator had suspended the book-building method earlier this year, halting the carrier’s plan to float shares to the public. The country’s largest private airline is owned by Beximco Group.
GMG was one of several companies whose planned IPOs were put on hold as a result of the book-building suspension, Chief Executive Officer Sanjiv Kapoor said in a written statement yesterday.
The airline issued the statement after a news conference at Dhaka Regency Hotel where the top executive, replying to a query, said GMG’s IPO has been ‘postponed’.
“We intend to do the IPO. But the exact date has not been determined yet,” he told the press meet organised to unveil services for hajj pilgrims this year.
The airline that starts its first hajj flight tomorrow will transport 14,000 pilgrims this year, up from 3,000 pilgrims last year.
Kapoor said GMG has set up a 24-hour help desk to let passengers get information related to hajj flights. It hopes to operate 79 flights and eight flights a week for carrying the pilgrims.
“We hope this special arrangement will be helpful for the devotees,” said Kapoor.
To let the passengers be in touch with their loved ones in Bangladesh, GMG has signed a deal with Airtel Bangladesh and United Commercial Bank Ltd (UCBL). Airtel will offer special rates on roaming solutions for the hajj pilgrims of GMG and UCBL will provide GMG customers discounted fees on their international credit cards.
Upon returning from the hajj, Airtel roaming customers who flew GMG Airlines will receive a 7 percent discount on service given by GMG.
-With The Daily Star input
