Biman reduces 50pc int'l flights due to coronavirus outbreak

FT ONLINE

The Biman Bangladesh Airlines has reduced its international flight frequency to more than 50 percent due to passenger’s scarcity as well as ban on flight operation in some destinations for global outbreak of novel coronavirus.

“We have decided to reduce our total weekly flight (to and from) to 68 from 142 in our 10 international destinations due to mainly passenger’s scarcity amid the outbreak of coronavirus,” Biman’s managing director and CEO Mokabbir Hossain told newsmen on Monday in the capital.

The national flag carrier operates international flights to Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu, Kolkata, New Delhi, Bangkok, Singapore, Jeddah, Medina, Doha and Kuwait city.

Out of the all destinations, there will be no flight to Doha till further notice as the Qatar government today imposed ban on travellers of 14 countries including Bangladesh to hold back the outbreak of coronovirus there.

On Saturday, the Kuwait government suspended one-week flight operation from seven countries that included Bangladesh as well as the same reason.

After the decision, the national flag carrier cancelled its two week flights to Kuwait city.

The passengers who have already purchased tickets for Doha or Kuwait will be able to refund their ticket money from Biman Bangladesh Airlines sales offices, the airlines authority said.