Cyclone Fani forced Biman Bangladesh Airlines and other private airliners of the country to cancel a total of 10 domestic and international flights. Some of the flights, however, has been rescheduled. But flight operation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) remained as usual, under continuous monitoring of the airport authority.
HSIA director group captain Abdullah Al Faruk on Saturday noon told the media that the airport activities are continuing as usual, though a precautionary warning has been issued to avoid any untoward situation. Sources said the metrological department has recommended the airport authority to continue flight operation maintaining low visibility, low cloud, wind speed and thunderstorm.
Among the cancelled flights, eight are domestic ones. Private airliners rescheduled most of the cancelled domestic flights while Biman delayed its one of the Kolkata flight which was scheduled on Friday. Due to inclement weather caused by cyclone ‘Fani’, the Indian civil aviation authority shut down Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata to avert any untoward situation.
On Saturday, Biman cancelled its Dhaka-Chattogram- Dhaka return domestic flights due to the bad weather. Shakil Meraj, general manager (public relations) of state owned organization said Dhaka-Chattogram flight no BG-413 and Chattogram-Dhaka flight no BG-414 have been cancelled. On the other hand, Friday’s scheduled Dhaka-Kolkata flight has been rescheduled on 3:30 pm on Saturday, he added.
Kamrul Islam, general manager (Marketing Support and PR) of US-Bangla Airlines told Bangladesh Post, ‘We only cancelled our today’s scheduled flight to Saidpur as weather on Dhaka- Saidpur route was too unstable due to the cyclone.’ ‘On the other hand, were scheduled the Kolkata flight, which is supposed to fly on 5:40 pm this evening, passenger who claiming refund of their ticket we are accepting that cordially,’ he added.
From Saturday morning to noon, Novo Air cancelled highest seven flights for the stormy weather. Besides, Regent Airways cancelled its Kolkata flight due to the cyclonic storm, Regent Airways director (marketing and sales) Sohail Majid informed this to media. The Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) is keeping country’s all the airports operational with extra causation under weather alert. “Our all airports are functioning following standard operating procedure (SOP) with due caution,” CAAB’s Member (Operation) Air Commodore M Mostafizur Rahman said.
