Biman Bangladesh orders four Boeing 737NGs
26 Jun 2008
Flag carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, has placed an order for four Boeing 737-800s, plus two options, bringing to 12 the number of aircraft it has ordered this year. Biman is modernising its ageing fleet.
Biman has previously announced orders for four 777-300ERs and four 787-8s along with options on four more of each type. The carrier said its future fleet will be all-Boeing.
The carrier currently operates four DC-10s, three A310s and three F-28s.Over the last two years the carrier has been upgrading its fleet and has also undertaken 3,000 job cuts. It has also cut back on domestic routes to focus on more profitable international ones.
The carrier connects Bangladesh with 18 countries and has agreements in place that can allow it to serve 42 countries.
The 777s are scheduled for delivery in 2013 ,and the 787s in 2017. No delivery date was set for the 737s.
Contrary to the sentiment prevailing in the aviation industry these days, Biman officials say that they are quite willing to bring forward deliveries if production slots open up because of financial difficulties experienced by airlines around the world.
It is working with Boeing on lease agreements for aircraft which it can operate till it takes delivery of its own orders.