Two international airlines have applied for permission to resume regular flights in Bangladesh amidst the flight ban put in place to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The two airlines that sought permission are Turkish Airlines, the national flag carrier airline of Turkey, and Emirates, a state-owned flag carrier airline based in Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“The Turkish and Emirates airlines have applied to get permission to resume their flights in Bangladesh,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune.
The Turkish Airlines suspended its Dhaka-Istanbul-Dhaka flights back on March 22.
“These two airlines had planned to resume their flights in June, but they have pushed that back to July,” said Rahman.
“A number of other international airlines have also expressed interest in resuming their flights, and may soon apply for permission,” added the CAAB chief.
“We are closely monitoring the situation with regards to the pandemic. If other countries start lifting their ban on international flights then we are likely to follow suit,” he furthered.
In addition, the CAAB is also planning to resume flights in the remaining domestic routes – Rajshahi, Cox’s Bazar, and Barisal, said Rahman.
Although the Barisal airport is not yet ready to resume operations due to high risk of coronavirus infection in the area, the airport authorities are taking all necessary measures required to make it safe, he said.
Bangladesh is set to resume international flight operations from June 16 after a hiatus of almost two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The aviation apex body CAAB gave permission to Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Qatar Airways to resume their flights.
Earlier, on March 21, the CAAB shut down all domestic and international flights in an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
The ban was later extended in several phases.