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The Financial Express

Biman gets new Dreamliner

A team of 32 fly to USA to receive it


| Updated: December 03, 2018 14:00:42


Biman gets new Dreamliner

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to add the second Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft to its fleet.

It was scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:45 pm on Saturday, Biman sources told the FE.

Dreamliner, Boeing's most advanced passenger plane to date, was expected to arrive at 4:30 pm on Saturday.

Boeing, the American maker, handed over the plane on Thursday (November 29).

It was scheduled to make a 15-hour non-stop flight from Seattle to Dhaka on Friday night.

The aeroplane called Hansabalaka will join predecessor Akash Beena, which began its service on August 19, making the total number of aircraft 15.

Earlier, Biman authorities sent 32 people, including board members Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and Barrister Tanzib Ul Alam, to the US to receive the aircraft.

Representatives from civil aviation and law ministries, parliament secretariat, civil aviation authority of Bangladesh and two banks also went to Seattle to this end.

Capt Farhat Jamil, Biman director (flight operation) received the aircraft on behalf of Biman at a programme at 11:00 am on Friday.

Boeing director (delivery contract) John Borber and deputy director (Middle East and South Asia) Ehsen Rajput were present there.

Later, Hansabalaka started its journey for Dhaka carrying the Bangladesh team.

Four pilots were supposed to operate the flight-Capt Smallski, Capt Aminul, Capt Shoeb Chowdhury and First Officer Anita Rahman.

In 2008, Biman made a $2.1 billion deal to purchase 10 aircraft from Boeing.

It has already received the delivery of four 777-300ER, two 737-800 and one 787-8 Dreamliner.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina named all the four Dreamliner aircraft.

Capable of flying at 650km per hour with an engine manufactured by General Electric (GE), Dreamliner has 271 seats-247 economy and 24 business class slots.

The plane boasts an air compressor that reduces fatigue and jetlag experienced by passengers.

It also features a state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system, including TV channels, Wi-Fi, hundreds of movies, 3D map and video games.

The passengers with roaming mobile phone connections will also be able to make calls while airborne.

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