Biman to be smart airline in 'Smart Bangladesh': CEO

Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Shafiul Azim today said he has taken a plan to turn Biman into a "smart airline" in "Smart Bangladesh" aligning with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's vision. 

"We have made a pledge to make Biman as smart airline in the forthcoming era of 'Smart Bangladesh," he told reporters at a briefing on the eve of 51st anniversary of the national flag carrier at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here. 

The Biman chief said that he had taken a plan to first bring Biman into top 10 Asian airlines and gradually to uplift the carrier into top three airlines in Asia. 

Azim said that he had already taken some work plan including expansion of routes by optimizing use of its new generation fleet and building skilled human resources at all levels of the airline administration and operational fronts including pilots to realize the goal. 

The main focus of the programme is to ensure good governance, accountability and transparency from the topmost to the lowest level of Biman, he said. 

Azim said they are continuously taking guidelines from the top level of the government to achieve the goal. 

"If anyone does good work, he or she will be rewarded. On the contrary, if anyone does anything wrong, he or she will be punished," said the Biman's top boss. 

He said that Biman would operate this year's Hajj flights with its own aircraft. "We won't take any aircraft as lease to operate the hajj flights," he said. 

Azim said currently Biman Bangladesh airlines successfully conducts 'C'-check and saves two million US dollar in every 'C'-check which is an extensive check of individual systems and components for serviceability and function of an aircraft. 

Recently, Biman saved a total of Taka 20 crore as it successfully conducted 'C'-check of a total five Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft at Biman's hangar here. 

Besides, Azim said that Biman would introduce online feedback services for the passengers and take all necessary measures to maintain flight schedule. 

He said efforts have been taken to make the airline more passenger-friendly and to facilitate more digital services through websites for ticketing.
 
"We have taken work plan to increase capacity of our 24-hour call centers to get complaints of the passengers promptly," he added.
 
Azim said Biman made profit of Taka 436 crore during 2021-22 fiscal year while achieved 77 percent of load capacity surpassing the target of 74 percent by carrying 2.8 million passengers last year. 
 
The current Biman's fleet contains 21 aircraft including 18 own planes and operates to 20 international destinations.