Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG, Dhaka) is evaluating the possibility of appointing a foreign management team for the airline itself and its ground operations unit, although the state does not plan to privatise the flag carrier at present, The Asian Age has reported.
According to an unnamed source from within the airline, the change would come in response to the net loss forecast for 2018, the first one in four years' time. It is understood that one of the areas where foreign management could shed some costs is the staff overhead.
The carrier also mulls different fleet options. The renewal programme, launched in 2007 with Boeing, is nearing completion with all four B777-300(ER)s and two B737-800s included in the package already delivered. Out of the four B787-8s, the first two are due for imminent delivery while the other two will join the carrier's fleet in 2019.
"By end of 2019, the remaining [four] out of ten aircraft ordered under that deal will be delivered and that would improve Biman's operations positively but … we also need backup aircraft to ensure the international standard of services to a greater extent," the source said.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines also operates two older B737-800s and two Dash 8-400s. It also wet-leases three B777-200(ER)s - two from flyGlobal Charter (FGG, Kuala Lumpur International) and one from TAAG Angola Airlines (DT, Luanda 4 De Fevereiro). It used to directly operate two units of the type, but these two aircraft were retired in the first quarter of 2018 and have since been stored at Ho Chi Minh City.
The airline expects to terminate the wet-leases within two years as the new B787-8 deliver.
