United Airways likely to resume operations soon
United Airways (BD) Ltd may resume operation soon with the addition of seven new aircraft to its fleet, said officials.”We have already inked necessary agreements with the aircraft suppliers to purchase seven aircraft of three separate models for smooth flight operations,” Chairman and Managing Director of United Airways Captain Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury told the FE.
He said the airliner also had written to the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) for carrying out inspection of the airplanes prior to their induction into the existing fleet.
As per the agreement, the aircraft suppliers have already agreed to take partial payment in exchange for United Air shares and the remaining amount in cash (at the face value of Tk 10 each with a lock-in period of one year), he said.
“We have already paid Tk 880 million to two separate institutions, including Phoenix Aircraft Leasing Pte Ltd, against the dues for previously supplied aircraft,” he said.”Some Tk 3.12 billion would be paid to the aircraft suppliers for new aircraft after completion of inspection by the CAAB,” he said.
“We got an application from the United Airways (BD) Ltd and would sit with the airliner soon for discussion,” CAAB Director for flight safety and regulations Chowdhury M Ziaul Kabir told the FE.
The seven aircraft the United plans to add include two airbus A340-300s, three ATR 72-500s and one Boeing MD-83, the airliner’s top brass said.Of them, the airbus A340-300s would to fly to London, Manchester and Gatwick, said Mr Choudhury.
ATR 72-500s would carry passengers on regional and domestic routes, while the Boeing MD-83 would fly mostly to the Middle East.With the addition of the new seven, the total number of aircraft in the fleet would rise to 17, he said.
