National flag-carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has received a good response to a tender it floated to induct at least two Boeing aircraft into its fleet on dry lease basis, aiming to tackle the shortage of the aircrafts after phasing out the decades old two Airbus, reports UNB.Tender to induct Boeing aircraft
Biman receives good response
UNB
National flag-carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has received a good response to a tender it floated to induct at least two Boeing aircraft into its fleet on dry lease basis, aiming to tackle the shortage of the aircrafts after phasing out the decades old two Airbus, reports UNB.
We have got eleven proposals and this response is very good to us, a Biman official involved in its corporate planning told the news agency.
However, the Biman official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not disclose the names of the responders.
He said that the proposal open committee of the state-run airliner will submit the proposals to the Techno Finance Sub Committee, which is also known as evaluation committee, after their work is done.
The evaluation committee after reviewing all the proposals and inspecting the aircrafts will submit their recommendations to the Biman board.
And the Board will take the final decision, the Biman official said.
The National flag carrier had floated two tenders to take the aircrafts on dry lease (only aircraft) basis for sixty months.
According to the Biman official, if they found 777-200 or 777-200ER then they would try to get two of those aircraft and one 777-300ER.
On the other hand, if the two 777-200 or 777-200ER is not available then Biman would induct another 737-800 along with one 777-300ER.
According to the tender document, one 777-200/777-200ER/777-300ER would be commenced in between March-June while another 777-200/777-200ER would be commenced in between November-December.
If the airliner takes the 737-800 it will be commenced between March-June.
Regarding the commencement of the aircraft within the stipulated time, the Biman official said that the new Biman board has just been constituted. We are optimistic to complete the procedures within time, he said.
The seating capacity of the 777-200/777-200ER will be 280 in two classes while 419 for the 777-300 ER in two classes and 162 for the 737-800 in two classes.
The age of the aircrafts must not be more than 15 years, according to the tender paper.
These aircraft will be used after the phasing out of the two Airbus 310-300s from its fleet, the Biman official said.
The number of aircraft in Bimans fleet is now 14. Of them, four are 777-300ER, four 737-800, two 777-200ER, two 310-300 and two Dash-8.
In 2008, the national flag carrier went into an agreement with Boeing for acquisition of 10 new generation aircraft - four Boeing 777-300ERs, two Boeing 737-800s and four Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Boeing has already delivered four 777-300ERs and two 737-800s aircraft to Biman. As per agreement it is scheduled to deliver four Boeing 787 Dreamliners by 2019-2020.
The Biman official said that the new aircraft will also be used in the planned new routes for the airliner. Currently, Biman flies to 15 destinations of Middle East, Europe and Asia.
