Biman unable to fly to NY as CAAB demoted

Biman Bangladesh Airlines will not be able to fly its own aircraft on the Dhaka-New York route unless the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) upgrade itself to category one from two.

Bangladesh Airlines Pilots' Association (BAPA) President Capt SM Helal said, “Bangladesh's own aircraft will not be able to fly to New York as the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has placed CAAB into Category 2 from 1.”

He said this yesterday at a press conference at Sonargaon Hotel in the city on the eve of a three-day conference of pilots.

He apprehended that the sky world of Biman, national flag carrier of the country, may also shrink if CAAB, the regulatory body on aviation-related activities, fails to upgrade its category within a specific time frame.

Besides, other reputed airlines may also avoid Bangladesh on the same grounds, said the pilots' association.

BAPA organised the press conference to inform the media about the Asia/Pacific regional conference of International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA).

IFALPA, the global voice of the pilots, is a non-political and non-profit making organisation. It stands for over one lakh airline pilots representing over 101 member associations from across the world.

Briefing reporters at the hotel, the BAPA boss said around 51 participants from Asia and the Pacific countries, including New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Mexico and Canada, are going to take part in the conference.

“The opportunities exist for us through this meeting to improve air safety of our country as well as worldwide,” said the BAPA president.

Biman will have to take lease aircrafts from other airways which are under category 1, he added.

IFALPA President Carlos Limon and BAPA General Secretary Capt Mahbubur Rahman were present at the briefing.