Bangladesh expects to sign an agreement with Airbus in October for 10 aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines, moving the proposed acquisition closer to completion after an earlier signing deadline passed without a deal.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat confirmed the plan on Tuesday. “Yes, we are buying 10 Airbus aircraft. Inshallah, the agreement will be signed in October,” he told reporters in Dhaka.
Follow Air Data News: WhatsApp | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook
The proposed package comprises four A350-900 widebody aircraft and six A321neo narrowbodies. The agreement would introduce Airbus aircraft to Biman, whose current jet fleet is entirely made up of Boeing models.
Air Data News first reported in May that Airbus had revised its proposal following Biman’s initial Boeing order. The European manufacturer reduced a previous 14-aircraft package to the current combination of four A350-900s and six A321neos.
October replaces earlier signing deadline
The government had already decided to proceed with the Airbus acquisition in July, when Millat said an agreement would be signed by August 31. That deadline passed without a deal.
Negotiations continued during September. French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet said last week that discussions were still underway, while local reports indicated that October had become the new target for signing.
The latest statement is more explicit about the government’s intention to complete the purchase, although neither Airbus nor Biman has announced a firm order.
Deliveries are now expected to begin in 2033 and continue through 2036 or 2037, according to local reports. Earlier government statements had indicated that the first Airbus aircraft could arrive from 2031.
Biman is also seeking to lease as many as 10 aircraft to increase capacity before the new jets arrive.
35 new aircraft planned
The Airbus agreement would follow two major purchases from Boeing completed this year.
Biman signed its first agreement in April for eight 787-10s, two 787-9s and four 737 MAX 8s. Last week, the airline added five 787-10s and six 737 MAX 8s, taking its Boeing commitments to 25 aircraft.
The second Boeing package is valued at about US$2.7 billion, according to Millat. The April agreement covering the first 14 aircraft was valued at approximately US$3.7 billion.
If the Airbus agreement is completed, Biman would have 35 new aircraft in its acquisition pipeline despite currently operating a fleet of only 19.
The change would also give the airline two new Airbus types alongside a substantially expanded Boeing fleet. Biman currently operates six 787 Dreamliners, four 777-300ERs, four 737-800s and five Dash 8-400 turboprops.
