United Air has to pay Tk 350 cr

If wants to fly again

Mahfuja Mukul: Capital market listed United Airlines Limited wants to fly again. The airline’s operations have been suspended for nearly seven years due to management irregularities. That is why eight United Air planes have been stuck at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for a long time. As a result, about Tk 350 crore have been due for parking and other charges of the planes in these seven years.
The airlines have to pay this civil aviation debt first if they want to start operations again.
Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman, Chairman of Civil Aviation, said, “If United Airlines wants to operate their flights, they must first pay their dues.” Without payment of arrears, activities can’t be restarted. United Air intends to operate cargo services as a first plan.
Then they want to gradually pay off their dues. But after a long 1.5 years, the Finance Ministry disapproved of their proposal.
However, United Airlines Managing Director ATM Nazrul Islam said, “We have offered two/three business options. What do we do if we get investment, and what do we do if outside investment comes in; We even told what to do if we don’t get investment. Now we will act as per the direction given by the Securities Exchange Commission. But we have plans to do something better. We are working in that effort.
He also said, ‘We have 1 lakh 70 thousand ordinary shareholders. But they own this airline. It would be better if the government looked at these shareholders and gave them a chance. And if you don’t give, there is nothing to say. We are trying our best. If the airline is operational again then the shareholders will get their dividend, the government will also get the dues. we want to fly, I want to start the program again.
United Airlines, which shut down in 2016, had 10 aircraft at the time. One of these is in India and the other is in Pakistan. And the remaining eight are at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Most of the parts and structures of the aircraft are on the verge of being destroyed while lying abandoned in dust, sand, storm, rain. Instead of repairing and flying these planes, that money could be used to buy new planes.
According to Civil Aviation Accounts, United Airlines has a principal balance of Tk 58 crore. Remaining arrears are consolidated as surcharges. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority recently decided to sell 12 aircraft lying abandoned at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport. In view of that decision, United Air also wrote to Civil Aviation for an acceptable solution.
Currently, the state airline Bangladesh Biman, private airlines US Bangla, Air Astra and NovoAir are operating their operations in the country. On the other hand, another private airline Regent announced to suspend operations for three months from March 2020 due to zero revenue quota. At that time, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the airline Imran Asif said about various crises. But when Imran joined the new airline Air Astra, Regent could no longer come into flight operations.
Note that United Airlines started business in the country in 2007. After receiving approval in 2005, the organization started its operations on July 10, 2007. But in February 2016, United Airways stopped their flights without any announcement.