Aviation News Desk:
Etihad Airways was fined Tk2 lakh for carrying passengers to Dhaka with one Covid-19 infected passenger.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) Director (Security) Group Captain AHM Towhid-ul-Ahsan said an executive magistrate of a mobile court Thursday fined the airline.
A physician of the Airport Health Desk confirmed that a flight of Etihad Airways with 254 passengers came from Dubai on Tuesday afternoon brought one passenger with Covid-19 positive certificate, he added.
Earlier on Wednesday Saudi Airlines was also fined Tk2 lakh for bringing a Covid-19 positive passenger. Malaysia-based airline Air Asia was also fined Tk1 lakh for bringing a Covid-19 positive passenger at the HSIA on December 13 .
The government has decided to suspend flight operation of airlines that will carry passengers without Covid-19 negative certificates as part of its initiative to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman told that they have asked all airlines to refrain from carrying Covid-19 patients but six coronavirus patients were found boarding the Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Biman has been fined Tk30,000 (Tk5,000 for each passenger). Besides, Air Asia has been fined Tk1 lakh, he added.
“We’re slapping small fines but have taken tough decisions. If any airline is found carrying Covid-19 patients, the flight operation will be suspended for a day or two or a week or for an even longer period,” said the CAAB chairman.