Bangladesh Aviation - Part 10

[iasif]

Dear folks,

Those of you (well most of you now!) who weren't wasting their time in the early episodes of this Bangladesh Aviation forum on SkyscraperCity had missed out on this character (no pun intended), Mr. Monirul Islam Opee, whom we so often had sharing his viewpoints for all in this forum. For those who are overtly curious in the past, TISLAM, SAMARUF or other veterans would probably be glad to run you through.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from him earlier this afternoon, and have just managed to put up a reply as well. I honestly think it has enough relevant "substance" in it to be shared with all of you...so here goes:

QUOTE

Dear Mr. Monirul Islam (Opee),

Trust you're keeping well. It's been a long time since I've heard from you, and as almost always, it's pure delight!

The email you had sent earlier today, as copied below, was meant for me among others and although you probably didn't have my email address, our Support Center forwarded it to me and I'm glad to have received it with so much of your valuable opinions. If you'd allow me, I'd like to take this opportunity to address some of your opinions/assumptions:

(i) You mentioned "this is a group of companies" by which I presume you meant Habib Group. You opined that it could be looking for high bank borrowing and income tax "ivassion" (I looked up into Thesaurus and couldn't find that word, hence assuming you meant "evasion"). You may be rather taken aback to be told that Habib Group, and all the companies in it, together generate an annual revenue of USD 450 million and yet do not have a single default with any of its bankers and financiers. This is perhaps even more unbelievable as none of its Directors are politicians by any measure. I, therefore, seek your vigilance to help specify one single default that you're so sure exists!

On another note, by the way, it probably wouldn't please you to be told that during the whole period that Regent Airways has been in operation, it has paid more in taxes (on both its income and passenger taxes) to the national exchequer than any other private airline of Bangladesh.

(ii) Shortly after the Significant Safety Concern (SSC) was imposed in June 2009 (before we were in existence, or else you would've had a way to blame it on Regent, but...sigh!), the ICAO had handed over 36 checklists to the CAAB to follow and fulfill prior to issuing any Air Operator Certificate (AOC). Till today, Regent remains as the only new airline that came up and fulfilled those checklists to have its initial AOC issued in Nov 2011 which was again renewed in Nov 2012. A significant part of those checklists included ensuring that Regent has the appropriate company structure and infrastructure in place to be a legitimate operator. The "kind of aircraft" we are operating also apparently was acceptable enough per ICAO and local regulations, and we bought them outright for about USD 17 million, which somehow impressed the regulators just enough. Now, as we are aspiring to go international (with your blessings), we are considering the B737-800 or the A320 which are bitch of two airplanes (pardon my language) in terms of the price we'd have to pay for them even on lease. Strangely enough I'm sure you'd agree, the authorities and everyone else seems very happy!

(iii) As for industry consolidation, legislation and the professionalism that you suggest is essential to run the airlines by "intl law"...prescribed qualifications to be CEOs of those airlines...to ensure safety....I really couldn't agree more with you! The simple evidence is the very fact that all of these you're saying are all going way over my head! A CEO ought to look good on his armchair, all dressed-up for the corporate leadership. I'd feel so ashamed if you saw me at work...the sheer "clueless-ness" in me shows in the face...and not to speak of in how messy I always look. I'm just surviving because these people around me don't have your eyes, let alone your mind!

(iv) As for CAAB, they have only themselves to blame if they're in such a shabby state as you say they are! After all, if the nation has let go of gems like you and encouraged the brain-drain, they've got to suffer!

To sum it up...I honestly think you should be the Charlie Townsend to engage your angels (I swear I won't eye them!) to beat the hell out of the incompetent bunch (including myself unless given the mercy) and bring all the truth out. Then you would have to morph into the Gordon Bethune to show how the change to greatness is to be done with an airline, and then put the minnows like SQ to shame.

I promise to lead the fools' band right behind you!


Truly,
Imran Asif
Regent Airways
Dhaka, Bangladesh.





---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Support Center, Regent Airways <info@flyregent.com>
Date: Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Subject: [Fwd: ##1139## : CAAB need to be cautious]
To: imran.asif@flyregent.com


Contact : Monirul Islam
Due by time : Jul 25, 2012 11:00 AM
Category :
Description :
Dear Gentlemen,

This is a group of companies who are basically looking for high bank borrowing and income tax ivassion. Just like GMG, Best Air & others...none of them are seriously comitted to avaition.

If CAAB look at your company structure, the infrastructure you put in place, the kind of aircraft you are planning to operate and amount of financial resources you are committed- it is difficult to imagine that you want to operate as international airline. Let us not make the same mistake again. If FAA & EASA makes another surprise visit and find out any level-I finding, CAAB will be gain on their int'l blacklist. This time we need to be careful.

Aviation industry is heading for consolidation as far as legislation is concern and it is the duty of the CAAB to ensure that these airlines are run by professionals as per int'l law. The CEO, the Quality & Training managers and often flight operations directors must have prescribed qualifications. This is an important area to ensure safety.

CAAB ANOs (Air Navigation orders), Advisory circulars and CAR (Civil Aviation rule) 84 are in a very primitive stage, this requires immediate & serious attention. CAAB should look into this area urgently if we are truly going for the int’l integration.

If they are serious to make aviation their businees, they should be committed in a big way to replace Biman. It is not difficult.

Rgds/

Sheikh Monirul Islam, Opee +971-50-7515470

UNQUOTE

[PIA777]

Shaheen air plans to fly to Dhaka in near future, the aircraft type might be the 737-400 or the a330

[samaruf]

Originally Posted by billding

Shaheen Air of Pakistan are to launch Dhaka, details not out yet http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/...Shaheenair.jpg

Is Shaheen Air popular in Pakistan? Are they able to compete with PIA and the Gulf carriers?

[PIA777]

Originally Posted by samaruf

Is Shaheen Air popular in Pakistan? Are they able to compete with PIA and the Gulf carriers?

Yea, it's very popular, it directly competes with PIA (only on domestic and middle eastern routes) AirBlue, Bhoja and Arabian carriers, only problem for shaheen and airblue is that they dont have widebodies, but that to would be solved in coming months.

[samaruf]

Originally Posted by iasif

Dear folks,

Those of you (well most of you now!) who weren't wasting their time in the early episodes of this Bangladesh Aviation forum on SkyscraperCity had missed out on this character (no pun intended), Mr. Monirul Islam Opee, whom we so often had sharing his viewpoints for all in this forum. For those who are overtly curious in the past, TISLAM, SAMARUF or other veterans would probably be glad to run you through.

Imran bhai, do you have any openings at Regent at the moment for a "creative" writer? You really could use some talent in the marketing/PR department to write "fantastic" stories about your upstart airline.

PS: Provide them with a good spell checker.

[Silv3r]

Originally Posted by iasif

Sheikh Monirul Islam, Opee

i do remember this person and he has been outspoken few time. However, did we "ever" get a respond back from him or he just shuts up

[samaruf]

Originally Posted by PIA777

Yea, it's very popular, it directly competes with PIA (only on domestic and middle eastern routes) AirBlue, Bhoja and Arabian carriers, only problem for shaheen and airblue is that they dont have widebodies, but that to would be solved in coming months.

I thought they already had A330-200s. If they fly the wide-body to Dhaka and the fare is lower(or higher baggage allowance) than the established carriers, they might pick up some GCC bound passengers.

[TIslam]

Originally Posted by Silv3r

i do remember this person and he has been outspoken few time. However, did we "ever" get a respond back from him or he just shuts up

It's always a delight to hear from the expert. Why is he wasting his talent in the middle east?

[TIslam]

Originally Posted by samaruf

I thought they already had A330-200s. If they fly the wide-body to Dhaka and the fare is lower(or higher baggage allowance) than the established carriers, they might pick up some GCC bound passengers.

I wonder how much of a demand exists in KHI-DAC sector that multiple carriers could operate successfully.

[PIA777]

Originally Posted by samaruf

I thought they already had A330-200s. If they fly the wide-body to Dhaka and the fare is lower(or higher baggage allowance) than the established carriers, they might pick up some GCC bound passengers.

No, they got their first a330-300 today and yea demand is very high between Pak-Dhaka, PIA recently operated 747-300 on the route.

[samaruf]

Originally Posted by TIslam

I wonder how much of a demand exists in KHI-DAC sector that multiple carriers could operate successfully.

I might not have my facts straight but I have heard that there's a large Bengali speaking population in Pakistan from partition days and later years who travel back and forth between the two countries. Also there's the Mohajir(Bihari) population in Bangladesh who are either settling down with their relatives in Pakistan or if they have taken BD citizenship, fly between the two to keep in touch with loved ones.

Recently, many Pakistani industrialists in the textile sector are sending some of the business to Bangladesh and I am guessing they and other personnel are making all sorts of business trips.

[planemannyc]

Originally Posted by m.ahmed

Salam All, Yesterday morning (Thursday 26th July) my father passed away at Birmingham, UK after being placed at the Critical Care Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital for 5 weeks (Innalillahi wainnailahi rajiun).

I request you all in this holy month of Ramadan to keep him in your prayers and that he is granted Jannah and also my family so that we can overcome the grief.

His Namaz'e Janaza will be held at Jami Islamic Centre and Mosque, 505-527 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10 0LL today (Friday 27th July) after Jumma prayers and burial will take place at Handsworth Cemetery, Birmingham.

If possible please attend the Namaz'e Janaza and contact me on +447938893479 if necessary.

Thank You All

Innalillahi wainnailahi rajiun. I am really sorry to hear of your loss. Thoughts are with you and your family.

[planemannyc]

GMG set to resume operation by Dec


Ismail Hossain

The country’s oldest private carrier GMG Airlines Ltd. is set to resume its operation within the next six months, officials have said.

The GMG Airlines suspended all of its flight operations from March 30 this year citing its precarious financial situation and also for strategic restructuring against rising fuel price in the competitive global market.

"Earlier, we thought it would have been possible for us to resume in 3 or 4 months but now we will take six more months for recommence of flight operation," Director (Customer care and Marketing) of GMG Airlines Asif Ahmed told the Financial Express Thursday.

He said in this connection we sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority updating GMG's future plan, but this is not final decision and it may be changed.

During temporary shutdown of GMG, the flight operator said as part of the new strategy, GMG halted wide body operations, and will be replacing their Boeing 767s with new generation narrow-bodied aircraft with a renewed emphasis on on-time operation, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

It said, "The airlines is planning to adopt a new business strategy in light of rising fuel prices and changing international competitive environment through a 360 degree restructure of its strategy, organisation, fleet and business model."

He said GMG will redesign its route network to focus on higher yield, higher growth in domestic and regional routes using new generation narrow body aircraft.

"We will prefer regional operation during the recommence," he said.

Regarding airplane, he said the company is looking for Airbus A19 or 320 and Boeing 737 for restart.

He said GMG will refocus more on South, South-East, and Near-East Asia, with a few select narrow-body routes to the Middle-East rather than long route operation.

Prior to the closure, the carrier was only operating flights on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar and Dhaka-Chittagong-Kolkata routes by two Bombardier Dash 8s.

GMG operated flights with three Boeing 767s, three MD-80s (McDonnell Douglas) and two Bombardier Dash-8s. But the airline grounded six aircraft in 2010 and 2011.

It also had six international routes including Bangkok, Jeddah, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Kolkata, and Riyadh, all of which were suspended in 2011 except Kolkata.

During the temporary closure, about 900 employees became jobless of its total 1000 workforce.

Some of them alleged to FE that they are not getting benefits from the airlines according to terms and conditions of service.

But Asif Ahmed said the employees are receiving their benefits according to law.

Also, the airline still has debt worth Tk 459.3 million to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and Tk 180 million in travel tax to the National Board of Revenue as of July 2011.

In April, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suspended GMG from its billing and settlement plan as the carrier failed to pay dues to the internet-based system of the association.

Due to the suspension, all travel and ticketing agents and general sales agents removed the airlines' ticketing authorities from their systems.

The IATA provides services for the settlement of financial transactions between travel agents and airlines.

In 2009, Beximco Group bought the lion's share of GMG Airlines, which has been operating since 1998.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.co...news_id=138179

[TariqHasan]

Originally Posted by m.ahmed

Salam All, Yesterday morning (Thursday 26th July) my father passed away at Birmingham, UK after being placed at the Critical Care Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital for 5 weeks (Innalillahi wainnailahi rajiun).

I request you all in this holy month of Ramadan to keep him in your prayers and that he is granted Jannah and also my family so that we can overcome the grief.

His Namaz'e Janaza will be held at Jami Islamic Centre and Mosque, 505-527 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10 0LL today (Friday 27th July) after Jumma prayers and burial will take place at Handsworth Cemetery, Birmingham.

If possible please attend the Namaz'e Janaza and contact me on +447938893479 if necessary.

Thank You All

Inna lillahi wa-inna ilaihi rajiun. May Allah grant him Jannah.

[BA7E7]

Originally Posted by m.ahmed

Salam All, Yesterday morning (Thursday 26th July) my father passed away at Birmingham, UK after being placed at the Critical Care Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital for 5 weeks (Innalillahi wainnailahi rajiun).

I request you all in this holy month of Ramadan to keep him in your prayers and that he is granted Jannah and also my family so that we can overcome the grief.

His Namaz'e Janaza will be held at Jami Islamic Centre and Mosque, 505-527 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10 0LL today (Friday 27th July) after Jumma prayers and burial will take place at Handsworth Cemetery, Birmingham.

If possible please attend the Namaz'e Janaza and contact me on +447938893479 if necessary.

Thank You All

Ina lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon.

I am so sorry for your loss, You have my deepest sympathy and may Allah grant him Jannah, Ameen.

[Galive]

Originally Posted by planemannyc

GMG set to resume operation by Dec


Ismail Hossain

The country’s oldest private carrier GMG Airlines Ltd. is set to resume its operation within the next six months, officials have said.

The GMG Airlines suspended all of its flight operations from March 30 this year citing its precarious financial situation and also for strategic restructuring against rising fuel price in the competitive global market.

"Earlier, we thought it would have been possible for us to resume in 3 or 4 months but now we will take six more months for recommence of flight operation," Director (Customer care and Marketing) of GMG Airlines Asif Ahmed told the Financial Express Thursday.

He said in this connection we sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority updating GMG's future plan, but this is not final decision and it may be changed.

During temporary shutdown of GMG, the flight operator said as part of the new strategy, GMG halted wide body operations, and will be replacing their Boeing 767s with new generation narrow-bodied aircraft with a renewed emphasis on on-time operation, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

It said, "The airlines is planning to adopt a new business strategy in light of rising fuel prices and changing international competitive environment through a 360 degree restructure of its strategy, organisation, fleet and business model."

He said GMG will redesign its route network to focus on higher yield, higher growth in domestic and regional routes using new generation narrow body aircraft.

"We will prefer regional operation during the recommence," he said.

Regarding airplane, he said the company is looking for Airbus A19 or 320 and Boeing 737 for restart.

He said GMG will refocus more on South, South-East, and Near-East Asia, with a few select narrow-body routes to the Middle-East rather than long route operation.

Prior to the closure, the carrier was only operating flights on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar and Dhaka-Chittagong-Kolkata routes by two Bombardier Dash 8s.

GMG operated flights with three Boeing 767s, three MD-80s (McDonnell Douglas) and two Bombardier Dash-8s. But the airline grounded six aircraft in 2010 and 2011.

It also had six international routes including Bangkok, Jeddah, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Kolkata, and Riyadh, all of which were suspended in 2011 except Kolkata.

During the temporary closure, about 900 employees became jobless of its total 1000 workforce.

Some of them alleged to FE that they are not getting benefits from the airlines according to terms and conditions of service.

But Asif Ahmed said the employees are receiving their benefits according to law.

Also, the airline still has debt worth Tk 459.3 million to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and Tk 180 million in travel tax to the National Board of Revenue as of July 2011.

In April, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) suspended GMG from its billing and settlement plan as the carrier failed to pay dues to the internet-based system of the association.

Due to the suspension, all travel and ticketing agents and general sales agents removed the airlines' ticketing authorities from their systems.

The IATA provides services for the settlement of financial transactions between travel agents and airlines.

In 2009, Beximco Group bought the lion's share of GMG Airlines, which has been operating since 1998.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.co...news_id=138179

Total drama. z5's story is fully a drama.
The major problems of our aviation sector are lack of investment, proper maintenance of aircraft and tendency of making profit within a short time. All the private airlines starts business with very few money.

[Mamun85]

by the end of current year Shah Amanat International Airport upgrade of phase 2 will start.

[TariqHasan]

Originally Posted by Mamun85

by the end of current year Shah Amanat International Airport upgrade of phase 2 will start.

Could you please confirm the source of this news? Also what sort of work are they planning to do?

[shatilislam]

Originally Posted by m.ahmed

Salam All, Yesterday morning (Thursday 26th July) my father passed away at Birmingham, UK after being placed at the Critical Care Unit of Queen Elizabeth Hospital for 5 weeks (Innalillahi wainnailahi rajiun).

I request you all in this holy month of Ramadan to keep him in your prayers and that he is granted Jannah and also my family so that we can overcome the grief.

His Namaz'e Janaza will be held at Jami Islamic Centre and Mosque, 505-527 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham B10 0LL today (Friday 27th July) after Jumma prayers and burial will take place at Handsworth Cemetery, Birmingham.

If possible please attend the Namaz'e Janaza and contact me on +447938893479 if necessary.

Thank You All

my sincere condolence to you and your family members. may allah grant your father eternal happiness.

[d0nny]

Does anyone know filling in Arrival Card online (on http://www.immi.gov.bd/),
make a difference? If this was filled in online would they get the info or would this be a waste of time because you would need to fill in the card again at the airport? Has anyone here tried it?

Thank you