Airbus cuts Biman proposal to 10 aircraft after Boeing deal
Dhaka: Airbus has revised its aircraft proposal for Biman Bangladesh Airlines, reducing the offer from 14 aircraft to 10 following the national carrier’s recent USD 3.7 billion deal with Boeing.
According to reports, the European manufacturer has proposed four A350-900 wide-body aircraft and six A321neo narrow-body jets in its latest submission to Biman’s techno-finance committee.
The revised offer came days after Biman signed an agreement with Boeing on 30 April to purchase 14 aircraft, including Dreamliners and Boeing 737 MAX jets.
Reports added, Airbus scaled down its proposal to remain competitive as Bangladesh moves ahead with long-term fleet expansion plans. Earlier, Airbus had reportedly offered 10 A350 aircraft and four A320neo jets.
Earlier this month, Airbus Vice President Edward Delahaye met Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroz Khanam and other senior officials to discuss possible cooperation on Biman’s future fleet development. Airbus also expressed interest in supporting a mixed fleet structure for the airline.
Biman officials said, the airline regularly receives proposals from global manufacturers and that discussions do not necessarily indicate a final purchase decision.
The renewed Airbus push comes as the government plans to expand Biman’s fleet to 47 aircraft by FY2034-35 to strengthen Bangladesh’s aviation sector and regional connectivity.
Currently, Biman operates 19 aircraft, including 14 made by Boeing, reflecting the US manufacturer’s long-standing dominance in the airline’s fleet.
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