Airlines hesitant to fly amid low commercial viability

No airline, except Biman Bangladesh Airlines, has so far responded to the call to operate international flights from Cox's Bazar Airport, even though the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is fully prepared to launch such flights from the beach town by the end of October.

The lack of interest stems from the fact that operating international flights from the airport is not commercially viable at present, industry insiders say.

In response to the CAAB proposal, Biman Bangladesh Airlines-the national flag carrier-has expressed interest in operating an international flight from the airport.

Biman plans to operate one flight per week on the Cox's Bazar-Dhaka-Kolkata route, said Boshra Islam, general manager (Public Relations) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

US-Bangla Airlines, one of the country's major private carriers, is still conducting a feasibility study in response to the CAAB proposal, according to airline officials.

Kamrul Islam, general manager (Public Relations) of US-Bangla Airlines, told The Financial Express that the airline has not yet made any decision regarding the operation of international flights from Cox's Bazar.

"There aren't enough passengers travelling from Cox's Bazar to any international destination to make a flight commercially viable," he said, adding that it would not be feasible for private airlines to operate at a loss.

"We are currently conducting a feasibility study and assessing the market. Taking all factors into account, we have not reached any conclusion yet," Kamrul Islam added.

Kazi Wahidul Alam, a former board member of Biman and an aviation expert, said the authorities have not yet fulfilled the basic requirements necessary to operate international flights from Cox's Bazar.

"Cox's Bazar does not attract a sufficient number of international travellers. The government claims that international tourism will increase once the airport is operational, but this is not a convincing proposition. Cox's Bazar currently lacks the necessary facilities to appeal to international tourists," he said.

He added that airlines might show interest if there were incentives such as tax waivers for operating international flights from Cox's Bazar or exemptions from aeronautical charges, particularly for landing, parking, security, or fuel refuelling.

However, the authorities have yet to announce any such additional benefits.

The CAAB issued an Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) on August 7 this year, in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules, announcing that Cox's Bazar Airport would officially be designated as an international airport from October 2.

Later, on August 11, the CAAB sent letters to two domestic airlines-Biman Bangladesh Airlines and US-Bangla Airlines-seeking information on whether they had plans to operate international flights from Cox's Bazar Airport to various destinations.

The authority also invited several international airlines operating in Bangladesh to consider launching flights from Cox's Bazar. However, none have responded so far, a senior CAAB official told The Financial Express on condition of anonymity.

Although the first international flight was initially scheduled to be inaugurated on October 2, CAAB was unable to proceed as planned.

An official said a proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism (MoCAT) to set a new inauguration date, tentatively on October 24. Once the date is finalised, a gazette notification will be issued, and the inauguration will take place accordingly.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines official said that although the flights and routes have been finalised, the carrier cannot begin ticket sales until the official launch date is confirmed.

The government has invested a total of Tk 60.08 billion in three recent projects to upgrade the airport to international standards.

The projects include the extension of the existing runway and the construction of a new terminal building, enabling round-the-clock flight operations.

Md Younus Bhuiyan, director of the projects, said the runway extension-an additional 1,700 feet built into the Bay of Bengal-has already been completed, bringing the total runway length to 10,700 feet (3.26 km). The terminal building construction has progressed nearly 85 per cent.

The government's long-term goal is to develop Cox's Bazar into a premier international tourist destination. However, tourism industry insiders say the government must take proactive measures to attract international visitors to the beach town.

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