The New Nation - Internet Edition

Syful Islam

Nearly 1.5 lakh passengers are waiting for flights as the Government's short-term 'open sky policy' has failed to make any breathing space and attract foreign sizeable airlines, reveal ATAB leaders.

"The ongoing space crisis in the aviation sector is resulting drainage of extra foreign currencies abroad as some airlines are engaged in malpractice and charging extra fare from passengers taking the advantage on the situation," said AKM Bari, Secretary General of the Associations of Travel Agents of Bangladesh.

"Our business is in good position as there are a large number of passengers in queue… we are crying for passengers interest… they are directly affected and become stranded," he added.

He said the Government's decision on opening sky for the foreign airlines for only three months had failed to attract any new airlines, except some extra flights by the existing airways.

"The open sky policy could have attracted the foreign airlines if the policy was taken for long time, at least for one years."

Application of Air India Express, a giant Indian airway that operates low cost flights, is yet to get approval of civil aviation authority despite passengers are crying for seats.

Bari said, "The government is losing nearly US$40 lakh in its bid to save Biman Bangladesh Airline's monthly US$10 lakh as it is yet to effectively open up the sky for foreign airlines."

Nearly 80 per cent of the total passengers from Bangladesh are being carried by foreign airlines while the national flag carrier Biman caters only 20 per cent.

ATAB president MA Muhaimin Saleh told The New Nation yesterday that the wrong policy, of open sky for three months, taken by the Secretary of the Civil Aviation Ministry has created further crisis in the aviation sector.

Visas of many of the foreign currency earners, who were waiting for returning to their workplaces, especially towards Middle East, already been expired due to flight crisis.

"We are very much concerned over the continuation of growth of this booming sector," he said adding, the sector attained nearly 30 per cent growth last year against 5 to 10 per cent in two to three years ago.