DHAKA, Nov 14, 2018 (BSS) – Akashbeena, the Biman’s Boeing dreamliner,
today made its maiden flight to London prior to its regular operation to
Europe scheduled to start from December 10.
“The maiden Dreamliner London flight BG 001 left Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport at 11.20 am today carrying 251 passengers” Biman’s
General Manager (PR) Shakil Meraj told BSS here.
The national flag carrier usually operates Dhaka-London-Sylhet-Dhaka flight
by its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft four days in a week.
Earlier, Biman decided to increase flight frequency on London route from
December 10 to six flights in a week instead of current four flights. “We
also decided to operate the route with our new Dreamliner from December 10,”
Meraj said.
Biman today put the dreamliner on London route on test flight prior to
using it on the same route regularly, sources said.
Biman received the brand new Boeing 787-8 known as the Dreamliner, the new
sensation of the global aviation sector, in August last.
The new aircraft, fifteenth in Biman’s fleet, was inaugurated by Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina, who named it as Akashbeena.
Till now, the aircraft is being used to operate flights from Dhaka to
Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The 271-seat Boeing 787-8 has been designed to be
20 percent fuel efficient than other aircrafts.
In 2008, Biman Bangladesh Airlines had signed a US$2.1 billion agreement
with Boeing to purchase 10 new aircraft, of which Sunday’s Dreamliner was the
seventh.
The remaining three are slated to join Biman’s fleet by end of this month
and two more by next year’s September respectively.