Staff Correspondent 
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to sign an agreement with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to purchase 10 new aircraft. The agreement is scheduled to be signed at a hotel in the capital on Wednesday evening (October 7).
According to a Biman official, the agreement will turn the national flag carrier into a mixed-fleet operator, with both Airbus and Boeing aircraft in its fleet.
The proposed package includes four Airbus A350-900 wide-body aircraft and six A321neo narrow-body aircraft. The aircraft are planned to be used to expand operations on long-haul and medium-haul international routes as well as regional routes.
Earlier, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat had said that Bangladesh would purchase 10 aircraft from Airbus and that an agreement could be signed in October.
The signing of the agreement on October 7 will formally move forward the aircraft procurement process after several months of evaluation and negotiations with Airbus.
In April this year, Biman signed an agreement with the United States to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft. More recently, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, another agreement was signed to purchase 11 additional Boeing aircraft.
The Boeing agreements also created pressure from Biman’s European partners. Against this backdrop, Biman moved forward with consideration of purchasing 10 aircraft from Airbus.
According to people familiar with the matter, Biman was to a large extent compelled to proceed with these agreements. With the addition of 35 new aircraft, Biman’s fleet would increase to 54 aircraft. However, questions remain over whether Biman has the capacity to operate such a large fleet and whether the proposed routes for the new aircraft have been properly assessed.
Meanwhile, the final commercial price of the proposed package for the 10 Airbus aircraft has not yet been officially disclosed. Aircraft prices depend on factors including cabin configuration, engine selection, spare parts, maintenance and training packages, financing arrangements and other commercial terms.
The final price of the aircraft, detailed delivery schedule and other commercial terms are expected to become known after the agreement is signed.
