Biman incurs ticket cancellations as pilots decide to refrain from operating extra flights

Biman Bangladesh Airlines incurred large numbers of ticket cancellations on various routes, mainly to the Middle Eastern destinations, since Biman pilots decided to refrain from operating extra flights unless authorities address salary disparity between them and other Biman employees by July 30.

Talking to The Daily Star today, Biman Managing Director and CEO Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said the national flag carrier incurred a loss of around Tk 7 crore in the last 48 hours.

The Biman boss urged all passengers not to pay heed to any misinformation regarding a "pilots' strike" since he claims the pilots did not give any official ultimatum over salary cuts. 

"In an official letter, they (pilots) showed their discontent over the continuation of salary cuts but did not hint towards any strike over the issue," he told our correspondent.

Due to the pandemic, Biman was forced to cut salaries of all employees, including pilots, in July last year to reduce its maintenance and operational costs.

Last Thursday, the airlines decided to restore its normal salary structure for employees, but not for the senior pilots who have been serving in the airlines for more than five years.

Bangladesh Airlines Pilots' Association (BAPA), on July 14, decided that if Biman authorities do not adjust the pay by July 30, all pilots will operate flights only under the bilateral agreement between Biman and Bapa.

If the pilots end up not flying, the airline's most popular flights -- especially to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dammam, and Dubai -- might be cancelled, sources in Biman said.