The government has decided to resume flights to all domestic airports across the country next month.
The decision taken at a meeting of the civil aviation and tourism ministry was meant to deepen inter-district sky connectivity to help business travellers.
The move comes, as about four full-fledged district airports lie unused, resulting in financial losses for the government and depriving customers of air services.
According to the government decision, all private airlines and state-run Biman will coordinate among themselves to run a minimum of one flight a week to keep the airports operational.
Ashis Roy Chowdhury, director (operations) of GMG Airlines, said two to three flights would be better than once a week. “Initially, the government has to pay subsidies and reduce different charges to make air links meaningful for business purposes."
A Biman official says the national-flag carrier runs short of aircraft and has only planes with jet machines, which are expensive to run on short-haul routes.
The official suggested the government import new aircraft with turboprop engines to run inter-district flights that are commercially viable.
ATM Nazrul Islam, director (business development) of United Airways, said the existing rate of airport charges, handling charges, VAT and taxes are extremely high, which compelled private operators to discontinue operations among the inter-district airports.
He said United Airways has route permits to operate flights to Barisal, Rajshahi, Syedpur and Jessore. The private airline plans to import small aircraft to reintroduce the flights.
Biman has three operational inter-district flights -- Chittagong, Sylhet and Cox's Bazar -- where other private airlines are also active.
The country has three international airports -- Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet -- and five inter-district airports -- Barisal, Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Rajshahi and Saidpur.
The Civil Aviation Authority is developing another district airport at Bagherhat. It has also seven registered short take-off and landing (STOL) airports -- Bogra, Comilla, Ishwardi, Lalmonirhat, Shamshernagar, Tejgaon and Thakurgaon -- which could be made operational in future.
The civil aviation authorities have also ten underdeveloped, unused airports located at Sandwip, Chakaria, Tangail, Pahar Kanchanpur, Feni-Noakhali, Ghatail-Tangail, Rajendrapur, Moulvibazar, Rasulpur and Sirajganj. These airports do not have adequate infrastructure to operate flights.
Source: thedailystar.net
