Biman Bangladesh likely to close foreign offices
Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG, Dhaka) has announced that it will close seven of the national carrier’s foreign offices. The cost-saving decision is now before the Board of Directors for final approval.
Offices in New York, Rome, Toronto, Manchester, Hong Kong, Bahrain, and Delhi are scheduled to be closed as the airline hasn’t served those cities for several years.
Flights to New York JFK ceased in 2006, after incurring losses of BDT 5 million (USD62,500) on each flight. Of its European routes, Rome Fiumicino, Frankfurt Int’l and Brussels National were suspended in 2007.
Flights to Manchester Int’l were suspended the same year, and relaunched briefly in 2012, yet the Manchester office maintains a staff of five people.
The Rome route was resurrected in 2014, but quickly ceased after experiencing large losses. Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok and Delhi Int’l services were also suspended in 2014.
The committee’s report recommended that staff be brought back to Bangladesh within three months.
Biman Bangladesh retains services to domestic destinations as well as throughout the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent, and Southeast Asia. London Heathrow is its only remaining destination in Europe.
About Biman Bangladesh Airlines has Aircraft 12, flies to 23 destinations in 34 routes with 51 daily flights.
