Biman’s Airbus plan rests on shaky ground

We fail to understand the logic behind Biman's decision – not for the first time – to approve in principle the purchase of 10 Airbus planes, including two freighters. Last year, Biman managed to carry just over 28,000 tonnes of freight in the cargo hold of planes making international flights when it had the capacity to transport over 4.98 lakh tonnes, meaning that 94 percent of its freight-carrying capacity remained unutilised. Moreover, as an audit by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) shows, Biman carried 20.58 lakh passengers on international flights with around 7 lakh seats left vacant.

Between 2011 and 2019, Biman bought 12 Boeing planes spending around Tk 19,000 crore. But evidently, those haven't been properly utilised, largely due to shortages of pilots and cabin crew members as well as its poor planning and management. This newspaper has also published multiple reports showing the disastrous state of pilot recruitment and training at Biman. Its incompetence has already put passengers' lives at risk on more than one occasion, and embarrassed the nation as a whole. Why is it, then, that instead of fixing these problems and ensuring proper utilisation of existing planes, Biman is focusing on purchasing more of them? Has Biman carried out any research to see whether the decision to ferry cargo in additional freighters will increase profits, and not result in greater losses the burden of which will eventually be shifted onto taxpayers?

Experts have suggested that the decision is not an economically viable one. Airfreight is a seasonal business in Bangladesh, which means that for five to six months, there is very little demand. That is why even foreign carriers operate in Bangladesh only when demand is high during the peak season. On top of that, most outbound freight goes to the West, and the items Bangladesh imports largely come from China, Hong Kong and Japan. So, the inbound cargo flights from the West and the outbound flights to the East would be virtually empty. As there is little or no inbound demand for cargo to Dhaka from the West, foreign carriers first fly to Bangkok or Singapore carrying goods and then make a stopover in Dhaka during the return flight to pick up freight that they deliver to the West. But Biman has no such strategic plan in place.

Another thing that Biman needs to do should it purchase the Airbus planes is train its cockpit, cabin crew members and engineers afresh to deal with the new aircraft. Again, we wonder how well Biman is positioned to do so with the existing problems it has.

We believe Biman's decision is a rash and overambitious one. There are plenty of things it needs to focus on first – starting with addressing systemic problems including corruption, nepotism and mismanagement – before it can expand to the height it seems to be aspiring to. Of course, we definitely want our national flag carrier to elevate itself to such a position. But that has to begin by addressing Biman's internal issues, so that its efficiency can reach a level that justifies such an expansion.