State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali has said that the government would provide support with necessary stimulus packages to rescue local carriers from the impact of the ongoing partial global lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The government must stand beside the airlines and will do whatever necessary for their survival,” he said while speaking at a webinar titled “Bangladesh Aviation Sector amid Pandemic: Challenges and Way Out” on Saturday afternoon.
Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) organized the webinar where the country’s aviation regulators and airlines operators discussed various challenges posed on the sector due to the more than a yearlong partial air lockdown due to the pandemic.
The top officials of the country’s three airlines – state owned Biman Bangladesh airlines, US-Bangla Airlines and Novoair – said the second wave of Covid-19 put the final nail in the coffin while the aviation sector was trying to turn around from the tailspin, pushed by the first wave of deadly virus last year.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain spoke as the special guest while Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman was present as the guest of honour at the webinar.
Biman Managing Director and CEO Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said Biman has lost 43% capacity, causing huge loss to the national airlines while US-Bangla Managing Director Abdullah Al Mamun said they have lost 70% and 54% capacity in international and domestic routes, respectively.
Before Covid-19 pandemic, Mamun said, his airlines used to operate 36 flights per day but now it stands at only 18 flights.
He said although flights on different international routes remained suspended for over one year, they are bound to pay huge sums of money to CAAB as different charges.
“Under these circumstances, it’s impossible for us to survive,” said the chief of US-Bangla, the country’s largest private carrier in terms of fleet numbers.
Novoair Managing Director Mofizur Rahman said the second wave of Covid-19 hit the aviation sector at a time when they were trying to recover from the severe damages caused by the first wave.
Mofizur urged the government to give them some time to pay different charges for now. “Allow us time to pay the current charges. We will pay all those charges as arrears when the situation becomes normal,” he added.
He said aeronautical, non-aeronautical and other charges imposed by CAAB are much higher compared to the neighbouring countries.
Mofizur, who is also secretary general of Aviation Operator Association of Bangladesh (AOAB) demanded that the CAAB as the regulatory body and the concerned ministry will take necessary measures immediately to remove those obstacles.
Aviation expert Kazi Wahidul Alam said it would be hard for the country’s airlines to survive without policy and revenue support from the government.
The ministry secretary and CAAB chairman assured that they would discuss with the stakeholders on reducing various charges.
The CAAB chairman said that they would further strengthen their surveillance so that no foreign airline or local travel agent can charge extra money on ticket fare in this difficult time.
Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) President Monsur Ahmed Kamal and Tour Operator Association of Bangladesh (TOAB)’s Rafeuzzaman also took part in the webinar.
