More immigration booths required under new congested schedule at HSIA
Dhaka: Dhaka Airport authorities are struggling to adjust to the new congested schedule set to run till June 2022. Under the new schedule, the runway of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will be closed for eight hours every night from 12:00 am to 8:00 am for construction work of a taxiway for the Third Terminal.
According to reports, the schedule is going to become even more hectic until December 16, following an additional airport closure from 10:30 am to 1:15 pm for flight management training under the Air Force as part of preparations to celebrate the Victory Day.
This has led to an immense pressure of passengers that the airport authorities are struggling to deal with under the new congested schedule.
On the night of December 9, ahead of the first eight-hour closure under the new schedule, as many as 14 flights were to depart between 10:00 pm and 11:59 pm. However, several of the flights were delayed as the airport authorities could not complete immigration procedures for all the 2,400 passengers in such a short time.
Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan, Executive Director, HSIA, said, "Airways were allowed to use the runway till 2:30 am to operate their flights to various destinations because immigration was not completed on time.”
To solve the issue, airlines are demanding the airport to set up additional check-in booths and other facilities to deal with the pressure of passengers under the new congested schedule.
Reports said, the airlines complained that immigration authorities were struggling with only two check-in counters even after being aware of the new schedule starting from early December 10.
In response, Touhid-ul Ahsan said, “We have already issued a directive to immigrations authorities to resume all check-in points, so that passengers can complete procedures on time.”
He further urged passengers to reach the airport early to help complete immigration procedures as soon as possible.
40 airlines currently operate 80-90 flights carrying about 8,000 to 10,000 passengers per day at Dhaka Airport.
Admitting some problems were bound to arise in the first few days of the new schedule, the Executive Director of HSIA assured the authorities would be able to adjust to the new flight congestion soon. Also, Osmani International Airport in Sylhet would be available for take-off and landing for emergency purposes, he further said.
