Biman Bangladesh to buy 10 Airbus jets, breaking Boeing reliance - minister

[Black_cats]

Biman Bangladesh to buy 10 Airbus jets, breaking Boeing reliance - minister​

Ruma Paul and Tim Hepher
Mon, June 19, 2023 at 3:02 AM GMT-4·1 min read

FILE PHOTO: A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 787 puts on a display at the Farnborough Airshow, in Farnborough
By Ruma Paul and Tim Hepher

DHAKA/PARIS (Reuters) - State-owned carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to purchase 10 planes from Airbus, in a shift from its Boeing-dominated fleet, the South Asian country's junior minister for civil aviation told Reuters on Monday.

"As per our requirement, the decision has been taken to purchase 10 aircraft in phases. The technical committee is assessing now," Mahbub Ali said.

Ali's comments came after sources said the airline was close to a deal to buy 10 Airbus A350 widebody planes, marking its first order with the French planemaker.

It was not clear whether the deal would be finalised in time for the Paris Airshow, which opens on Monday.

Airbus declined to comment. Biman did not respond to a request for comment.

"Every country has both Airbus and Boeing in their fleet. We didn't have an Airbus in our fleet," Ali said, as the airline looks to break its reliance on the U.S. planemaker that typically dominates widebody orders.

The 51-year-old airline has a fleet of more than 20 mostly Boeing planes, over half of which are widebodies, and some Dash-8 turboprops.

Biman Bangladesh's demand for more widebody aircraft comes as travel is seeing a strong post-pandemic rebound. The carrier flies non-stop to 20 destinations worldwide including Britain, Malaysia, Thailand and Canada.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul in Dhaka and Tim Hepher in Paris; Writing by Aditi Shah; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Jamie Freed)

 

[saif]

Biman Bangladesh to buy 10 Airbus jets, breaking Boeing reliance - minister​

Ruma Paul and Tim Hepher
Mon, June 19, 2023 at 3:02 AM GMT-4·1 min read

FILE PHOTO: A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 787 puts on a display at the Farnborough Airshow, in Farnborough
By Ruma Paul and Tim Hepher

DHAKA/PARIS (Reuters) - State-owned carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to purchase 10 planes from Airbus, in a shift from its Boeing-dominated fleet, the South Asian country's junior minister for civil aviation told Reuters on Monday.

"As per our requirement, the decision has been taken to purchase 10 aircraft in phases. The technical committee is assessing now," Mahbub Ali said.

Ali's comments came after sources said the airline was close to a deal to buy 10 Airbus A350 widebody planes, marking its first order with the French planemaker.

It was not clear whether the deal would be finalised in time for the Paris Airshow, which opens on Monday.

Airbus declined to comment. Biman did not respond to a request for comment.

"Every country has both Airbus and Boeing in their fleet. We didn't have an Airbus in our fleet," Ali said, as the airline looks to break its reliance on the U.S. planemaker that typically dominates widebody orders.

The 51-year-old airline has a fleet of more than 20 mostly Boeing planes, over half of which are widebodies, and some Dash-8 turboprops.

Biman Bangladesh's demand for more widebody aircraft comes as travel is seeing a strong post-pandemic rebound. The carrier flies non-stop to 20 destinations worldwide including Britain, Malaysia, Thailand and Canada.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul in Dhaka and Tim Hepher in Paris; Writing by Aditi Shah; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Jamie Freed)

As far as I know, Airbus is more expensive to operate than Boeing. I guess buying Airbus planes is a political decision.

 

[Abu Shaleh Rumi]

Totally a political decision from BAL shit heads. Biman isnt a big carrier, it isn’t even a profit making company. Sticking to one supplier was a better option.

 

[bdslph]

How A350F competing against Boeing

Airbus claims the A350F is the most environmentally friendly freighter on the market. More than 70% of the A350F's airframe is made of new materials, resulting in a 30-ton lower takeoff weight. Airbus says the A350F consumes about 40% less jet fuel than its rival's Boeing 747-400F and about 20% less compared to the Boeing 777F.

In February 2021 Singapore airlines ordered for seven A350 freighter as part of its decision to move away from Boeing. The carrier currently operates seven 747-400 freighters with an average age of 18 years, which will be replaced by the A350F which deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to media reports.

In February 2023, Tata Group-owned Air India announced to buy a total of 470 wide-body and narrow-body planes from Airbus and Boeing, and the total deal value is estimated to be $80 billion as the airline expands its operations.

Of the total deal, the carrier will buy 40 wide-body A350 aircraft and another 210 narrow-body A320neo planes, according to media reports.