Biman signs $2 billion Airbus deal for 10 new aircraft

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Biman Bangladesh Airlines has signed an agreement with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to purchase 10 new aircraft as part of its major fleet expansion programme.

The package, estimated to be worth more than $2 billion, includes four Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft and six A321neo narrowbody jets.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony titled “Spreading Our Wings Together” at a city hotel on 7 October. Airbus South Asia President Jürgen Westermeier and Biman Chairman Rumee A Hossain signed the deal.

The aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving from 2031. However, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said Biman has asked Airbus to deliver at least one aircraft earlier, potentially by 2028.

The minister said the purchase is part of a broader government plan to develop Bangladesh into a modern aviation hub. He added that Biman’s fleet, routes and operational capabilities would be strengthened with the goal of establishing the airline as a world-class legacy carrier.

The agreement follows months of negotiations and evaluations over Biman’s Airbus procurement and comes shortly after the airline expanded its Boeing acquisition programme to 25 aircraft.

At the signing event, government, Biman and Airbus representatives highlighted the deal as part of Bangladesh’s growing commercial and investment relations with Europe.

Biman Chairman Rumee A Hossain said adding Airbus aircraft was part of the airline’s long-term plan to develop a sustainable mixed-fleet model. He said the widebody aircraft would serve routes to the Middle East, Europe, North America and Australia, while the narrowbody jets would operate on regional and medium-distance routes across Asia.

The plan to purchase 10 Airbus aircraft dates back to the Sheikh Hasina government. Following a meeting with then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka in September 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly thanked Bangladesh for its commitment to the Airbus purchase.

Since then, Airbus has increased its diplomatic and commercial engagement with Bangladesh, while European ambassadors have raised the issue during bilateral discussions between the EU and Bangladesh.

With the Airbus agreement and two recent Boeing agreements, Biman’s planned new-aircraft pipeline will reach 35 aircraft, consisting of 19 widebody and 16 narrowbody jets.

Biman’s latest Boeing agreement, signed in New York on 23 September, covers five Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner widebody aircraft and six Boeing 737-8 MAX narrowbody aircraft. The 11 aircraft are valued at around $2.7 billion.

The agreement followed a 14-aircraft Boeing purchase deal signed on 30 April, valued at $3.7 billion. Combined, the two Boeing agreements cover 25 aircraft, including 15 widebody and 10 narrowbody jets.

The first Boeing aircraft is scheduled for delivery in November 2031, with the final aircraft expected by 2035.

Biman currently operates 19 aircraft, with its fleet largely dominated by Boeing jets. The Airbus agreement marks a significant move towards a mixed-fleet operation for the national flag carrier.