Bangladeshi carrier US-Bangla starts operating cargo flights

DHAKA, May 10, 2020, Dhaka Tribune. US-Bangla Airlines has started operating cargo flights in a bid to boost trade amidst the flight ban brough about due to the coronavirus pandemic. The airlines operated its first cargo flight in the Dhaka-Bangkok route on Saturday (May 9), Dhaka Tribune reported.

The BS213 cargo flight departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:40am on Saturday and arrived at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 1pm local time. The return flight BS214 departed the Suvarnabhumi Airport at 4:30pm local time and arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:50pm.

Earlier, The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) extended the suspension of passenger flights to all countries till May 16 as a measure to contain the spread of coronavirus. But cargo flights, air ambulance, and special flights were exempt from this suspension.

Currently, the US-Bangla Airlines is the lone carrier of Bangladesh operating international flights to Guangzhou.

US-Bangla sources said that a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, capable of carrying up to 15 tons of cargo, is being used for the cargo flight to transport medical equipment, ready-made garments, perishable food products, and other export goods to Asian countries with which Bangladesh has bilateral agreements for flights.