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Biman prefers carrying expat workers to ME

No sign of drop in ticket prices


Published : 09 Feb 2022 09:34 PM

Biman Bangladesh Airlines prefers to carry stagnated expatriate workers of the country to their respective Middle East workplaces following the improved Covid-19 situation.  

Even though ticket prices to Middle East countries have gone high, the national flag carrier is trying to arrange special flights based on the growing demand to ME countries. 

However, there are allegations that due to the sudden pressure of ME country passengers, the ticket prices to those destinations have gone up beyond expectations. 

Biman managing director and CEO Dr. Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal said, “We are focused on our expatriates. In the sudden crisis, Biman has operated special flights and also reduced the airfare. Biman is always there for the betterment of the expatriates.” 

Meanwhile, the country’s other leading air carrier US Bangla Airlines has started to operate flights on the Dhaka Sharjah route at a reduced airfare. 

US Bangla Airlines General Manager (Public Relation) Md. Kamrul Islam told Bangladesh Post, “We were operating seven flights on the Dhaka Dubai route daily, but following the high demand we are now operating 10 daily flights on this route. Besides, we have recently started flight operations on the Dhaka-Sharjah route. Daily six flights are operating on this route. We are offering tickets within Tk 80000.”

According to market analysis, such pressure on ME countries will continue till the next two or three months. Before Eid-ul-Fitr such pressure will return to its normal situation.

According to sources, as the ME countries have relaxed the Covid-19 restrictions, expatriate workers have all started returning to their workplaces at once. As a result of the sudden passenger hike, the syndicate became active in plotting ticket prices. 

Visiting different airline websites, a similar situation is still observed in ticket fares. No airlines are offering tickets less than Tk 1 lac. However, some airlines have no tickets till next month.

Concerned people said prices rise when supply falls short of demand. Coronavirus has reduced the number of flights operated by all airlines from Bangladesh in normal times. Now the number of flights has decreased by about 60 percent. As a result, ticket prices have also gone up.

In the countries of the Middle East where the Bangladeshi labor market exists, only those countries are experiencing the scarcity of air tickets and the unusual increase in fares. The airlines are arbitrarily imposing extra fares on expatriates. Airfares from Bangladesh to Middle Eastern countries are several times higher than those in neighboring countries Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka.