US-Bangla Airlines

US-Bangla Airlines (Bengali: ইউএস বাংলা এয়ারলাইন্স) is the largest private airline in Bangladesh by fleet size, and overall the second largest airline after the flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines.[5][6] The airline is headquartered in Dhaka and is based at Shahjalal International Airport under the umbrella companies of US-Bangla Group.[3][7]

US-Bangla Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
BS UBG BANGLA STAR
Founded2010 (2010)[1]
Commenced operations17 July 2014 (2014-07-17)
HubsShahjalal International Airport
Focus citiesShah Amanat International Airport
Fleet size20[2]
Destinations20
Parent companyUS-Bangla Group[3]
HeadquartersDhaka, Bangladesh[4]
Key people Mohammed Abdullah Al Mamun, MD
Capt. Lutfor Rahman, CEO
Md. Habibur Rahman Akand, CFO
Shafiqul Islam, Head - Sales & Marketing
Jitendra Pandey, Head - Commercial & Contracts
Websitewww.usbair.com

Though the airline is the flagship company of the parent US-Bangla Group, the group owns numerous businesses in other industries such as real estate, education, media, electronics, and consumer foods.

History

US-Bangla Airlines commenced operations with domestic flights on 17 July 2014.[7][3] Initially, the airline launched two domestic destinations, Chittagong and Jessore from its hub in Dhaka.[7] Flights to Cox's Bazar from Dhaka were launched in August. In October, the airline launched flights to Saidpur.[8]

In July 2016, the airline announced plans to phase in its first three Boeing 737-800 aircraft in September of the same year, and to subsequently launch new international routes, for example to Singapore and Dubai.[9] On 29 April 2019, the airline started flights to Guangzhou, becoming the first Bangladeshi airline to operate flights to China.[10] The airline started flights from Dhaka to Chennai (via Chittagong) on 31 March 2019 also becoming first Bangladeshi airline carrier to operate flights to Southern India.[11]

In February 2019, US-Bangla Airlines announced an order for four ATR 72-600 aircraft, to be used on domestic flights. On 22 March 2019, the first aircraft was delivered from Toulouse to Dhaka via El Dabaa and Muscat.

In September 2019, US-Bangla Airlines become the second largest airline after Biman Bangladesh Airlines, in Bangladesh in terms of fleet size.[6]

The airline was supposed to start direct flights from Sylhet to other Bangladeshi cities such as Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Jessore, as well as a flight from Chittagong to Jessore, in order to make the city of Sylhet more accessible, from mid 2020.[12]

The airline also announced its plans to add four more international routes to Abu Dhabi, Colombo and Malé in the beginning of 2021.[13] However the plan was hit by COVID-19 pandemic.

Plan of expansion

In November 2021, a senior authority of the airline expressed the plan of expansion of the airline for both of its destinations and its fleet, as the airline is willing to add seven new international routes, i.e. Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, Riyadh, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Colombo, Sydney, New Delhi, Hyderabad etc. from Dhaka. The airline is also planning to introduce Dhaka–New York flight in 2023, if Bangladesh earnt Civil Aviation Category–I by 2022. Subsequently, few destinations in Europe, i.e. London, Paris, Amsterdam and Rome are being planned to be introduced by 2023.[14]

Corporate affairs

Its headquarters are in the Baridhara Diplomatic Zone in Dhaka.

Destinations
US-Bangla Airlines ATR 72-600
US-Bangla Airlines Boeing 737-800
US-Bangla Airlines De Havilland Dash 8-400

As of February 2021, US-Bangla Airlines serves the following domestic and international destinations:[15] The airline started flights to Dubai–International on 1 February 2021, which is its tenth international destination.[16]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
 BangladeshBarisalBarisal Airport
ChittagongShah Amanat International AirportFocus city
Cox's BazarCox's Bazar Airport
DhakaShahjalal International AirportHub
JessoreJessore Airport
RajshahiShah Makhdum Airport
SaidpurSaidpur Airport
SylhetOsmani International Airport
 ChinaGuangzhouGuangzhou Baiyun International Airport
 IndiaChennaiChennai International Airport
DelhiIndira Gandhi International Airport
KolkataNetaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport
 MalaysiaKuala LumpurKuala Lumpur International Airport
 MaldivesMaléVelana International Airport
   NepalKathmanduTribhuvan International Airport
 OmanMuscatMuscat International Airport
 QatarDohaHamad International Airport
 SingaporeSingaporeChangi Airport
 Sri LankaColomboBandaranaike International Airport
 ThailandBangkokSuvarnabhumi Airport
 United Arab EmiratesDubaiDubai International Airport
SharjahSharjah International Airport
 VietnamHanoiNoi Bai International Airport

Fleet

As of November 2022, US-Bangla Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft:[17][18][19][2][20]

US-Bangla Airlines Fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
B E Total
Airbus A321LR — 8 TBA [21]
Airbus A330-300 — 2 TBA Deliveries from August 2023.[22][23]
ATR 72-600 9 1 — 72 72 Plans to add 4 more by June 2023.[20][24][25]
Boeing 737-800 7 — 8 156 164 [25]
De Havilland Dash 8-400 3 — — 78 78 [26]
Total 19 11

Accidents and incidents

Flight 211
A US-Bangla Airlines De Havilland Dash 8-400 registered as S2-AGU, which crashed as US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211.

On 12 March 2018, US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q-402 with registration S2-AGU, [ crashed while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, killing 51 of the 71 people on board.[27][28] The final accident report, published on 27 January 2019, concluded that "the probable cause of the accident is due to disorientation and a complete loss of situational awareness in the part of [a] crewmember".[29][30]

Other incidents

On 26 September 2018, US-Bangla Airlines Flight 141, a Boeing 737-800 with registration S2-AJA, took off from Dhaka airport at 11:30 am with 164 passengers and seven crew members on board. It was scheduled to land at the Cox's Bazar Airport at 12:30 pm. On approach to Cox's Bazar, the nose-wheel mechanism jammed and prevented the wheel hatch from opening. The pilot then put the Boeing 737-800 into a holding pattern over Chittagong to burn off fuel so that it would be lighter and the risk of fire on impact would be reduced. The plane eventually touched down at 1:18 pm. Some passengers received minor injuries as they attempted to disembark the aircraft hurriedly. This incident was very similar to JetBlue Flight 292[31]

Other industries under US-Bangla Group

Though US-Bangla Airlines is the flagship company of the conglomerate, it is arguably one of the fastest rising conglomerates in Bangladesh. It rebranded its current name from US-Bangla Assets in 2009. Its other notable business is real estate company US-Bangla asset which is developing Purbachal American City, one of largest commercial and residential real estate projects in Bangladesh. The group now owns educational businesses such as Green University of Bangladesh, one of the earliest private universities of Bangladesh,[32] and US-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. The group also owns a leather company in Bangladesh namely US-Bangla Leather which has not yet started its production. Other than that, it owns US-Bangla Hi-tech Industries which is also yet to set up. It has its footing in Media businesses through US-Bangla Media and Communications[33]

See also

References
  1. "US-Bangla Airlines Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net.
  2. Ibne Kamal, Md Ashequl Morsalin. "US-Bangla's fleet expands to 14". UNB. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  3. "About Us". US-Bangla Group. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016.
  4. "Contact Us". US-Bangla Airlines. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  5. "US-Bangla airlines adds its 10th aircraft". The Independent. Dhaka. 20 October 2019.
  6. ইউএস-বাংলায় যুক্ত হলো দশম এয়ারক্রাফট. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 20 October 2019.
  7. "US-Bangla Airlines takes to the skies". The Daily Star. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  8. "US-Bangla launched Dhaka-Saidpur flights from Oct 2". The Independent. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  9. "US-Bangla to procure 4 aircraft". The Independent. Dhaka. BSS. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  10. দেশের প্রথম কোনো সংস্থা হিসেবে ইউএস-বাংলা চীনে যাচ্ছে. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 20 March 2019.
  11. "US-Bangla Airlines offers Dhaka-Chennai direct flight". The Daily Star. 20 March 2019.
  12. "US-Bangla eyeing to make Sylhet more accessible". The Daily Star. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  13. "US Bangla set to add flights to 4 new int'l destinations". Dhaka Tribune. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  14. "Bangladesh - US-Bangla to launch flights on seven new int'l routes in 2022". menafn.com. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  15. "US-Bangla Airlines". US-Bangla Airlines.
  16. "US-Bangla airlines spread wings to Dubai". US-Bangla airlines spread wings to Dubai | theindependentbd.com. Independent BD. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  17. "Global Airline Guide 2018 (Part One)". Airliner World: 5. October 2019.
  18. "Boeing 737-800 fleet details". US-Bangla Airlines.
  19. "Dash 8Q fleet details". US-Bangla Airlines.
  20. ইউএস–বাংলার বহরে যুক্ত হলো অষ্টম বোয়িং উড়োজাহাজ [Eighth Boeing aircraft joined the US-Bangla fleet]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  21. "US-Bangla Airlines dusts off longhaul plans, eyes A321(LR)s".
  22. "US-Bangla Airlines to add A330s in late 2Q22". Airsoc.
  23. "Bangladesh's US-Bangla Airlines to take two A330s in 2Q23". Ch-Aviation. 11 January 2023.
  24. "US-Bangla Airlines ads 13th aircraft to its fleet". UNB. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  25. "US-Bangla Airlines to begin Dhaka-Colombo flights from January". Dhaka Tribune. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  26. ইউএস-বাংলার বহরে যুক্ত হচ্ছে সবচেয়ে বড় এয়ারবাস. dhakamail.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  27. "Nepal air crash: 49 dead as plane veers off Kathmandu runway". BBC News. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  28. "Death toll in Nepal plane crash rises to 51, Bangladeshi experts join probe". Hindustan Times. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  29. "Final Report on The Aircraft Accident Investigation of US Bangla Airlines, Bombardier (UBG-211), DHC-8-402, S2-AGU, at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal on 12 March 2018" (PDF). Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission 2018. 27 January 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  30. "Accident: US-Bangla DH8D at Kathmandu on Mar 12th 2018, landed across the runway and fell down slope". The Aviation Herald.
  31. Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-8Q8 (WL) S2-AJA Chittagong-Shah Amanat International Airport (CGP)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  32. "Green University inks MoU with US-Bangla group". The Financial Express. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  33. "US-Bangla Group gets dubious rise by dodging huge revenue and hampering economic growth of the country". Daily Sun. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2022.

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