Biman to buy 10 Airbus aircraft; deal likely by August 31

Dhaka: National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is preparing to sign an agreement with European aerospace manufacturer Airbus by August 31 to purchase 10 aircraft, marking its second major fleet acquisition after the recent USD 3.7 billion order for Boeing jets.

"The government has decided to move ahead with the purchase of 10 Airbus aircraft," State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat told the media. "We expect to sign the agreement by August 31."

He said the Airbus aircraft would not join the fleet immediately, with deliveries scheduled to begin from 2031.

Under the expected deal, 4 aircraft will be wide-body and 6 narrow-body.

"Until the new aircraft are delivered, we will have to strengthen the fleet through leased aircraft," he added.

Millat said the financial details, pricing, and other terms of the procurement would be disclosed after the agreement is signed, noting that negotiations with Airbus are still underway.

The proposed acquisition gathered momentum during the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in the United Kingdom, where Airbus and Biman officials met to review the signing timeline, according to Airbus sources.

The meeting at the Farnborough Airshow focused on the progress of the proposed agreement and the next steps towards signing it, according to Airbus sources.

Sources said Biman this week sent Airbus a formal letter expressing its intention to sign the agreement by August 31.

Biman Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Sohel Ahmed traveled to the UK on July 19 with four senior officials from the airline's flight operations, engineering, and corporate planning divisions to attend the airshow.

The discussions followed a recent visit to Dhaka by Airbus Vice President Edward Delahaye, who met Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam, State Minister Millat, and senior Biman officials to push forward negotiations.

The Airbus purchase is part of the government's broader plan to expand Biman's fleet to 47 aircraft by the 2034-35 fiscal year, supporting its strategy to modernize the national carrier, improve international connectivity, and position Bangladesh as a regional passenger and cargo hub.

Biman currently operates a fleet of 19 aircraft, including 14 Boeing jets. Once both the Boeing and Airbus orders are fully delivered, the airline's fleet will grow to 43 aircraft.

As neither Boeing nor Airbus is expected to begin deliveries before 2030, Biman plans to lease 10 aircraft over the next year to ease its current fleet shortage while awaiting the arrival of the new jets.