Zahid Hossain, the newly appointed Bangladesh Biman Airlines Managing Director and CEO, has vowed to increase the national flag carrier's annual turnover to $1 billion from $700.
The plan combines all elements, including satisfactory passenger service, business strategy, and potentiality, he said at a press briefing at Biman's head office on Thursday.
He noted that all necessary steps would be taken to establish Biman as a commercial enterprise, and offer satisfactory passenger services.
"In order to achieve our target, we need to expand our business by operating flights on profitable routes and ensure better passenger services,'' said the Biman CEO.
Zahid Hossain later pointed out that several passengers have complained about Biman’s services.
“We won't politicize it, but we also will not do business without maintaining the highest standards of passenger service,” he added.
He added that Biman has also set a plan to carry 3 million passengers next year, if it can maintain its current market share of 24.6%.
Currently, US Bangla dominates 45%, NovoAir 36% while Biman only penetrates 19% of the domestic market and carries approximately 5,50,000 passengers in a year, sources said.
“Despite Biman being a state entity, we will adjust our business policies in order to make a profit while ensuring that more passengers and other facilities are there.”
He said around 8 million Bangladeshi expatriates are living abroad, including Saudi Arabia and other European countries.
“Our target is to carry all those who want to fly by Biman, following our business policy. Biman successfully operated all Hajj flights this year instead of taking a lease,” he added.
Zahid Hossain said Biman Bangladesh Airlines always takes decisions and plans in a competitive way as per International Air Transport Association (IATA) rules.
Previously, the national carrier incurred a loss of Tk224.16 crore in FY2010-11, Tk594.21 crore in FY2011-12, Tk285.63 crore in FY2012-13, and Tk285.61 crore in FY2013-14.
It earned a profit of Tk324.13 crore in FY2014-15. Biman last earned a profit of Tk217.81 crore in FY2018-19.
The airline incurred a Tk2,761 crore revenue loss during the January-August period of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lack of proper management.
Biman CEO to take responsibility
Zahid Hossain said he would take responsibility for any irregularity of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in the future.
Regarding the recent incident of a collision between the wings of the two aircraft, he said officials were responsible for it.
He further said that a cleaner was one of the officials who moved the aircraft that day. However, he warned that no exemption will be given regarding negligence.
So far, all responsible people have been fired.
On July 3, two aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines collided at the hangar of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, for the fourth time in less than three months.
The right wing of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner hit the left wing of Boeing 737 when workers were taking the first plane into the hangar for maintenance at 9:20pm.