US-Bangla Airlines plans to invest $1.1 billion or about Tk14,000 crore to lease 21 Boeing 737-8 aircraft by 2027, nearly doubling its fleet as the country’s largest private carrier expands its international network.
The airline will lease the aircraft from five of the world’s leading aircraft leasing companies, according to a letter it sent to Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.
The expansion will increase US-Bangla’s fleet to 46 aircraft from the current 25. The airline said the additional aircraft will support plans to develop Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet as regional hubs, operating flights to destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
US-Bangla will formally announce the investment at an event at Hotel Sheraton Dhaka on 29 July, the letter said. Boeing Vice President Paul Righi, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen, representatives of international aircraft leasing companies and stakeholders from the aviation, travel and tourism sectors are expected to attend.
The airline will outline its investment plan, aircraft delivery schedule and long-term expansion strategy.
The airline described the investment as more than a business expansion, saying it would mark a significant step for Bangladesh’s aviation sector.
People familiar with the plan said the new aircraft will feature upgraded cabin interiors, premium seating, wireless in-flight entertainment systems and onboard Wi-Fi.
Passengers will be able to stream movies, television programmes and music on their personal devices without cables, while also accessing the internet, exchanging messages and making phone calls during flights.
Aircraft deliveries are scheduled to take place in phases between January and December next year.
Once the aircraft enter service, the airline plans to launch additional international routes, increase frequencies on existing services and expand passenger capacity.
The expansion is also expected to create hundreds of jobs for pilots, engineers, cabin crew and technical personnel, while supporting tourism, trade and foreign currency earnings, according to the airline.
US-Bangla currently operates a fleet of 25 aircraft, comprising nine Boeing 737-800s, three Airbus A330-300s, 10 ATR 72-600 turboprops and three other aircraft.
The airline serves all domestic destinations and operates international flights to Kolkata and Chennai in India, Malé in the Maldives, Muscat in Oman, Doha in Qatar, Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Bangkok in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore and Guangzhou in China.
It also plans to expand services to additional destinations in Asia and the Middle East.
