PM to inaugurate Akash Beena Sept 5

Staff Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the maiden flight of the country’s first Dreamliner 787-8 Akash Beena at Hazrat Shahjalah International Airport here on September 5.

After the inauguration, Akash Beena will fly for Kuala Lumpur in the night, said Tasmin Aktar, manager (public relations) of the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Thursday.

“The test flight has completed successfully. No problem was detected,” said Biman's general manager (public relations) Shakil Meraj.

Initially, the Akash Beena will fly to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur every day of the week.

The Dreamliner's economy class fare for its Singapore flight has been set to $200 (excluding taxes and other surcharges) and its Kuala Lumpur flight at $290, he added.

Earlier on August 19, Biman Bangladesh Airlines entered a new era in aviation with the joining of the Dreamliner.

After landing in Dhaka, it was received with the blowing of water cannons as it flew in from Seattle's Boeing Factory, after making an uninterrupted fifteen-hour flight.

The new aircraft, the fifteenth in Biman's fleet, was received by Biman's chairman Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari (Retd), along with its CEO and members of its board of directors.

It will provide its passengers with wifi services at a height of 43,000 feet, allowing passengers to browse the internet or connect with their friends and family at any end of the world.

The 271-seat Boeing 787-8 has been designed to be 20 per cent fuel efficient than the other aircraft.


risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 30, 2018/Hasan/AI