Biman Bangladesh Airlines is expected to sign an agreement for 10 Airbus aircraft on Wednesday, October 7, adding four A350-900 widebody jets and six A321neos to its fleet expansion program.
The agreement, estimated to be worth more than US$2 billion, is expected to be signed in Dhaka after Biman and Airbus resolved the outstanding issues in their negotiations, according to The Business Standard.
The development provides the clearest indication yet of the composition of Biman's planned Airbus acquisition. The Bangladeshi government had already confirmed plans to buy 10 aircraft from Airbus, but the final split between models had remained uncertain.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat recently said the agreement would be completed in October. The A350-900s are intended to support Biman's long-haul expansion, while the A321neos would serve regional routes.
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Both would be new aircraft types for Biman, whose current jet fleet consists of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 737-800s.
The Airbus agreement comes less than two weeks after Biman signed for another five Boeing 787-10s and six 737 MAX 8s, increasing its Boeing acquisition program to 25 aircraft.
Together, the Boeing and planned Airbus purchases would give Biman a pipeline of 35 new aircraft: 19 widebodies and 16 narrowbodies.
The Airbus agreement has not yet been formally signed. Further details, including delivery dates for the A350-900s and A321neos, could emerge at Wednesday's ceremony.
