Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Sunday (Jan 5) resumed its direct Dhaka-Manchester-Dhaka flight with newly purchased brand new dreamliner Boeing 787-9 after more than seven years as its 17th route.
State minister for civil aviation and tourism M Mahbub Ali inaugurated the flight at a ceremony and saw the passengers off at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The Biman’s Manchester flight, operated by the Dreamliner named “Sonar Tori”, took off the airport with 269 passengers at 12.55 p.m., local media reported.
Biman will operate the flight to Manchester, Britain’s major northwester city that hosts approximately 90 thousand Bangladeshi expatriates, in every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary M Mohibul Haque, Biman’s Board chairman Air Marshal (retd) M Enamul Bari, Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman and Biman’s Managing Directpor and CEO M Mokabbir Hossain also spoke at the inaugural ceremony.
The state minister said the government has been purchasing brand new aircraft and opening new routes to upgrade standard of the national flag carrier.
“We have also taken various measures to improve customers services of Biman Bangladesh Airlines,” Ali said.
Pointing that Biman has got back on profit track, Mohibul said “today we resumed one of the Biman’s discontinued route. We will soon resume New York flight and open Toronto flight as well.”
Biman temporarily suspended Dhaka-Manchester route in September, 2012 due to shortage of aircrafts.
Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has total 298 seats including 30-business class, 21-premium economy class and 247-economy class.
