Bangladesh’s private airline United Airways launches Dhaka-London service twice a week

United Airways, the private airline based in Bangladesh, has launched flights between Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and London.

Thus, United Airways – founded in 2005 and started operations on July 10, 2007 – has become the private carrier based in Bangladesh to fly on a European route.

United Airways is operating 2 services a week on the Dhaka-London route – on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The flight, originating from Sylhet, a major city located in north-eastern Bangladesh, will depart from Zia International Airport in Dhaka at 12 noon.

United Airways is offering promotional fares at Tk 33,683 (all taxes included) for one-way travel.

A statement from the airline said that the fare for the Dhaka-London-Dhaka flight has been fixed at $695 (Tk 47,868) and that passengers have to pay an extra amount of around Tk 18,000 as taxes. ($1 is equal to Tk 68.87).

The normal one-way fare, the carrier said, is $425 (Tk 29,271) in addition to Tk 7,000 as taxes. One ticket for the Dhaka-London-Dhaka flight is priced at $810 (Tk 55,788.75) plus Tk 18,000 as taxes.

At a function to mark the inauguration of the Dhaka-London service, Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury, chairman and managing director United Airways, claimed that the carrier has adhered to schedules in 98% of cases since it started operations on July 10, 2007.

Choudhury described the Dhaka-London service as an “achievement” for the aviation industry in Bangladesh and said United Airways is the first privately owned airline to fly to a destination in Europe.

The inaugural ceremonies were held both at Zia International Airport in Dhaka and at Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

At the function held in Dhaka, G M Quader, Bangladesh’s Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, said that Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag-carrier airline of Bangladesh, alone is incapable of carrying all the passengers. Hence, the United Airways has done a great service to both the country and the country’s national carrier by introducing the Dhaka-London service, he added.

In the statement, United Airways said that it planning to operate services to Kathmandu, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur by December 2009.

In addition, the airline will launch its flight between Dhaka and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia by the first quarter of 2010.

United Airways currently has two Dash-8-100 aircraft, with 37-seats, and one MD 83 plane, having 155 seats. One more MD 83 aircraft will join its fleet soon.

The airlines said it plans to buy a Boeing 767-300 ER jet by the middle of 2010.

United Airways has about 500 shareholders, 95% of whom are non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) staying in the United Kingdom.

Besides the new Dhaka-London service, United Airways flies from Dhaka to destinations such as Dubai (the United Arab Emirates), Kolkata (India) and Jessore, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet (Bangladesh), and also between Chittagong and  Kolkata.