Biman gets another Dreamliner

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the second Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Biman Bangladesh Airlines yesterday afternoon at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

She boarded and inspected the new generation aircraft on the airport's VVIP tarmac.

After boarding, Hasina went to different sections inside the aircraft, including the cockpit, and spoke to the officials and staff members of the national airlines.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 5, 2018 inaugurated the second Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Photo: Collected

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal, Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry Muhammad Faruk Khan, and senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office and Bangladesh Biman were also present at the time.

The brand new aircraft was handed over to Biman's Director (Flight Operation) Captain Farhat Hasan Jamil by Boeing authorities in Seattle on November 29.

The 271-seater Dreamliner, which Hasina christened “Hangsabalaka”, is the 15th aircraft of the national flag carrier. It reached Dhaka on December 1 around 11:40pm, after an uninterrupted 15 hour-long flight from the Boeing factory in Seattle, the USA.

The first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner “Akash Beena” arrived in Dhaka on August 19.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina holding the control yoke of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that she inaugurated yesterday at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. This is the second Dreamliner in Biman's fleet. Photo: PID

Hangsabalaka will make its first commercial flight to London on December 10, Biman General Manager (Public Relations) Shakil Meraj said.

The two Dreamliners are scheduled to operate six flights on the Dhaka-London route, four on the Dhaka-Dammam route and three on the Dhaka-Bangkok route within a week from December 10, Meraj said.

The Boeing 787-8 has been designed to be 20 percent more fuel efficient than the Boeing 767 it replaces.

The aircraft has the capacity to fly nonstop for 16 hours, with an average speed of 650 miles per hour.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on December 5, 2018 looked around different zones of the second Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. Photo: Collected

It is able to fly 43,000 feet above ground and will provide WiFi service to passengers.

In 2008, Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed a $2.1 billion agreement with Boeing to purchase 10 new aircrafts. Of these, Boeing has already delivered four 777-300ERs, two 737-800s and two Dreamliners.

Two more Dreamliners would be added to Biman's fleet by next September, Biman officials said.