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| Tuesday, 20 January 2004 |
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Bangladesh private airline to start Lankan operations DHAKA, Monday (AFP) - Bangladesh's leading private carrier, GMG Airlines, is set to start international operations in the second quarter this year with flights to Sri Lanka, its chief said here. "Realistically, the second quarter is when we are planning to start our international operations, with Colombo being our first choice," said Abdus Sattar, the airline's chairman. "We are still talking with the government about other routes as purchasing long-haul jets for a few destinations is not feasible," he said. Sattar said MGM was talking to several parties to decide the kind of aircraft that would fit its international requirements. GMG Airlines, founded in 1998 and now the most successful private sector Bangladeshi carrier, operates Canadian DASH 8-100 and DASH 8-300 aircraft. The government has allowed private airlines to operate within Bangladesh for the past decade and last September said they would be permitted to fly on select international routes. GMG Airlines also plans flights to nearby Calcutta and Kathmandu, connecting on to New Delhi and Colombo to ensure passenger loads, a spokesman for the airline said. Three other airlines - Air Bangladesh, Air Parabat and Bismillah Airlines - have also expressed interest in flying internationally but they are considered further away in meeting licence requirements. State-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines flies 26 international routes. |
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