Biman gets its first Dreamliner

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is all set to enter a new era with its first Boeing 787-8, known as the Dreamliner, joining its fleet at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday.

After landing, it was received with spray of the water cannons. It flew 15 hours nonstop to reach Dhaka from Seattle's Boeing factory.

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The new aircraft was received by Biman's Chairman Air Marshal (retd) Muhammad Enamul Bari, along with its CEO and members of its board of directors.

Bari told reporters that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was scheduled to inaugurate the first flight of the Dreamliner on September 1, slated to fly to Kuala Lumpur.

She is also credited with coming up with the Dreamliner's name, Akashbeena.

The plane will initially be used to operate flights from Dhaka to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in its first month, after which it will be considered for flights to New York and Canada.

It will provide its passengers with inflight wifi services, allowing passengers to browse the internet or connect with their friends and family at any end of the world.

The chairman also added that the Dreamliner's economy class fare for its Singapore flight has been set to $200 (excluding taxes and other surcharges) and its Kuala Lumpur flight at $290.

The 271-seat Boeing 787-8 has been designed to be 20 percent fuel efficient than other aircraft of its class.

In 2008, Biman Bangladesh Airlines had signed a US$2.1 billion agreement with Boeing to purchase 10 new aircraft, of which Sunday's Dreamliner was the seventh.

The remaining three 787s are slated to join Biman's fleet between this November and September next year.

When asked about a possible promotion of Dhaka airport from a category-2 to a category-1 airport, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Air Vice Marshal M Naim Hassan told reporters that an audit team from New York is scheduled to visit Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in January, 2019.

He is hopeful the promotion will be ensured by next year.

According to Biman's general manager (public relations) Shakil Meraj, the Dreamliner will fly to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur every day of the week, with flights to Singapore in the morning and Kuala Lumpur in the evening.