Flights to India: Momen, Biman trade blame for confusion

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Biman are at loggerheads over the confusion created over flight operations to and from India.

Both blamed each other for the mess.

The confusion arose after Momen on August 17 announced to the media that flight operations to India will resume from August 20. Biman subsequently issued a press release that said flights to Delhi and Kolkata will resume on August 22 (yesterday).

However, all these announcements were made without the approval of the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB). 

Group Captain Chy M Zia Ul Kabir, member (Flight Standard & Regulations), CAAB, yesterday told The Daily Star they still haven't received a response from India about resuming flights after they, on August 4, sent a letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India, seeking its approval for flight resumptions from August 11 under the air bubble agreement.

After Biman's announcement, many passengers bought their tickets to India and those currently in India bought their tickets to return home. These passengers are now uncertain as to when the flights will actually resume.

Meanwhile, aviation experts have criticised Biman's management for its unprofessional and imprudent handling of the matter and advised the national flag carrier to offer an apology to the passengers.

Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday over phone from South Africa's Pretoria, Foreign Minister Momen said he did not say that flights between India and Bangladesh will (definitely) resume from August 20.

"What I said is that flights between the two countries might resume at that time."

He also added that India had informed the foreign ministry that it agreed "in principle" to resume flights.

"But the respective departments of the two countries will determine when and how the flights will resume. It is not the task of the foreign ministry to do that."

Asked about Biman's announcement and the passengers who already purchased tickets, Momen told this correspondent to ask Biman high-ups instead.

During the announcement of flight resumption, Momen said that India had agreed to resume operations based on a request made by Bangladesh, considering the demands to facilitate the movement of passengers and goods.

The next day, Biman sent a press release to different media announcing the operation of flights to Kolkata and Delhi from yesterday onwards under an "air bubble" agreement.

An air bubble agreement is a bilateral air corridor established between various countries to ease travel restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the release, the national air operator announced two weekly flights to Delhi and three to Kolkata.

Biman also asked the intended passengers to carry out Covid-19 tests in less than 72 hours leading up to their flight schedules.

A top Biman official said the airlines formally announced the resumption of flights from August 22 on the basis of the foreign minister's statement.

Wishing anonymity, he also said as the foreign ministry unequivocally announced it, Biman authorities thought it was certain.

However, Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal, Biman's managing director and CEO, told this correspondent they were yet to get any direction from CAAB to resume flights with India.

Asked about Biman's announcement, he said, "Like other airlines of the country, we have announced this as part our preparation to operate flights."

Amid this confusion, hundreds of passengers' travel to India, most of which are for treatment purposes, has become uncertain, several of them told this correspondent.

Moreover, many Bangladeshis who went to receive treatment in different cities in India and are still stranded there for months had also bought tickets of the national airliner hoping to fly back yesterday, sources said.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Kazi Wahidul Alam, an aviation expert, said Biman's attitude regarding announcing flight schedules to India was totally unprofessional.

"How [could] they formally announce the flight schedule without CAAB's approval? Biman should offer an apology to all the affected passengers." 

Air communication between India and Bangladesh was halted for several months when the Covid-19 outbreak began in the country.

It resumed on October 28 last year under the air bubble agreement. But was halted again later due a surge in infection rates in both countries.