Biman signs deal with Airbus to buy 10 aircraft

Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Wednesday signed an agreement with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to acquire 10 new aircraft as part of its fleet expansion initiative.

The agreement covers four A350-900 wide-body aircraft and six A321neo narrow-body jets.

This marks the beginning of the process of adding Airbus aircraft to the national flag carrier's predominantly Boeing fleet.

Biman Managing Director and CEO Kaizer Sohel Ahmed and Airbus India and South Asia President and Managing Director Jürgen Westermeier signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.

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Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir witnessed the signing.

The ceremony, titled "Spreading Our Wings Together", was held at the Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden in the capital around 9:25pm. 

The four A350-900 aircraft are expected to support Biman's long-haul operations, while the six A321neo jets would serve regional and medium-haul routes.

Under the agreement, delivery of the Airbus aircraft could begin in 2033. The aircraft are expected to be added to Biman’s fleet gradually through 2036 or 2037. However, the total commercial value of the purchase of the 10 aircraft has not yet been disclosed.

Earlier this year, Biman signed agreements with Boeing in two phases to purchase a total of 25 aircraft. 

On 30 April, it signed a deal to purchase 14 aircraft for around $3.7 billion. The deal included eight 787-10 Dreamliners, two 787-9 Dreamliners and four 737-8 aircraft. 

On 23 September, Biman signed another agreement in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session, to purchase 11 more Boeing aircraft, including five 787-10s and six 737-8s.

With the 10 Airbus aircraft, Biman's long-term acquisition pipeline now stands at 35 aircraft, including 19 wide-body and 16 narrow-body aircraft.