US-Bangla eyeing to make Sylhet more accessible

US-Bangla Airlines, the largest local private airline in terms of fleet size, plans to open new routes for Bangladesh’s domestic travellers, especially to and from Sylhet.

From the middle of this year, the airline will begin flights on new routes: Sylhet-Chattogram, Sylhet-Cox’s Bazar, Jashore-Chattogram and Jashore-Sylhet.

Currently, there are eight commercial airports in Bangladesh and each destination can only be reached through the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka.

“If the new routes are introduced, passengers will be able to travel between most airports without a transit at HSIA,” said Sikder Mezbahuddin Ahmed, chief executive officer of US-Bangla Airlines, during a press conference at a hotel in Sylhet on Sunday.

As a part of their plans, the airline added a brand new 72-seater ATR72-600 aircraft to their fleet last week on a ten-year lease. The vessel is manufactured by ATR (Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture by French aerospace company Airbus and Italian aviation group Aeritalia.

A group of journalists from Dhaka boarded the new aircraft, which carried them to the press conference in Sylhet in its maiden voyage.

Four more aircrafts of similar build will arrive within the next few months.

Launched in July 2014 with the motto ‘Fly Fast, Fly Safe’, US-Bangla is now trying to modernise its fleet with fifth generation airships.

The airline previously added five of ATR 72-600 aircrafts to its fleet, featuring four Boeing 737-800 and three DASH8-Q400 planes. With the latest addition, US-Bangla’s fleet size stands at 13, the country’s second largest overall after national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

“Flying in the ATR72-600, which is equipped with a glass technology cockpit, passengers will now feel safer,” Ahmed said.

A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional analogue dials and gauges.

Ahmed touted the new aircraft as the best for short-haul destinations in Bangladesh. It has various advanced technologies, such as better air-conditioning and cabin pressurisation system. Its engine is also 6 per cent more powerful and more fuel efficient than its predecessor model, the ATR72-500, he said.

“The plane’s most interesting feature is that it has a powerful engine but consumes 20 per cent less fuel,” Ahmed added.

To cope with the new technologies, the airline conducted pilot training programmes, led by experienced foreign instructors and pilots, according to US-Bangla officials.

“We are the biggest local private airline but this does not make us proud. What we are proud of is that we kept our promise to our valued customers by providing safe and comfortable flights with brand new aircrafts, featuring the best technologies,” Ahmed said.

Asked about the possibility of operating flights on routes with less equipped airports, he said the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has already taken the initiative to upgrade airports and all relevant infrastructure as needed.

The airline launches 26 flights to and from domestic locations such as Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Jashore, Saidpur, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Barishal and Dhaka each day.

In 2019, the number of domestic travellers using the airline increased 10 per cent to about 20 lakh.

US-Bangla also operates flights to and from Kolkata, Chennai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Muscat and Doha.

Despite the recent coronavirus outbreak in China, the airline still maintains its route to Guangzhou.

“Many Bangladeshis stuck in China want to come back. We cannot close our doors when people are in danger,” Ahmed said.

The number of people killed by the virus rose by 97 last Sunday, the highest number of casualties in a day, taking the total death count in China to 908.

“The necessary safety measures have been taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus and I personally went to China few days earlier to boost the crew’s mental strength,” he added.

Monirul Haque Joarder, director for flight operations of US-Bangla; Moshiul Azam, head of training; Musa Mollah, director of administration; and Md Kamrul Islam, general manager-public relations, also spoke on the occasion.