Biman to Buy 10 Airbus Aircraft, Agreement to Be Signed Wednesday
Representational image. Collected.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is signing an agreement with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to purchase 10 new aircraft. The agreement will be formally signed at the Radisson Hotel in the capital on Wednesday evening, Wednesday (October 7).
A Biman official said the deal will turn the airline into a mixed fleet operator, with Airbus aircraft alongside its Boeing fleet.
The proposed package includes four Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft and six A321-neo narrowbody aircraft. The aircraft are planned to be used to expand long-haul and medium-haul international routes as well as regional routes.
Earlier, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat had said that Bangladesh would purchase 10 aircraft from Airbus and that an agreement could be signed in October.
With the signing of the agreement on October 7, the process of purchasing aircraft from Airbus will formally enter a new stage after several months of evaluation and negotiations.
Earlier this year, in April, Biman signed an agreement with the United States to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft. In addition, another agreement was signed recently on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to purchase 11 more Boeing aircraft.
These agreements with Boeing also created pressure from Biman’s European partners. Against this backdrop, Biman was compelled to consider purchasing 10 aircraft from Airbus.
According to people familiar with the matter, Biman has moved forward with these agreements to a considerable extent under pressure. With 35 new aircraft added, Biman’s fleet will grow to 54 aircraft. However, questions remain over whether Biman has the capacity to operate such a large fleet and how the new aircraft will be deployed, as these issues have not been properly assessed.
Meanwhile, the final commercial price of the proposed package for 10 Airbus aircraft has not yet been officially disclosed. Aircraft prices depend on cabin configuration, engine selection, spare parts, maintenance and training packages, financing arrangements and other commercial terms. Therefore, interest is likely to grow after the agreement is signed regarding the final price, detailed aircraft delivery schedule and other commercial terms.
