Hi everyone,
Here is a short flight between Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh in February 2016. Originally I was supposed to take this flight with United Airways but the latter having stopped all its flights, I was looking for a ticket to go to Chittagong right after coming to the airport as i could not get any proper information as United Airways cancelled all their flight. Luckily they still had staff at the airport and I requested a ticket refund.
After checking with all the airlines at Dhaka airport, Biman was the one offering the cheapest ticket to go there.
Bangladesh has many airlines including Biman Bangladesh, Us Bangla Airlines, Novo Air, Regent Airways (now bankrupt) and many other companies like United Airways or GMC (both bankrupt to). The system is the same as in India, you buy the ticket outside the terminal and after having the ticket you show it to the soldier who allows you to enter the terminal.
Dhaka airport has two terminals (domestic and international). I don't know why there are United airways staff at the check-in since none of their planes are flying because they are all down due to lack of liquidity. The airport is building a new international terminal which should be opening soon.
The ticket purchase will therefore be made at the Biman counter where the person at the counter is awful (I ask him to make the reservation for me and he tells me, here I sell tickets I don't make reservations, ok, I can pay you by credit card: no, only cash…), we don't travel with Biman for the welcome from its employees, the service on board is lousy but the experience itself is great, how can you travel in a very 70s atmosphere other than there or in Russia.
here I am, ticket and boarding pass in my pocket ready to board. Today it is one of the two Airbus A 310s of the company, which have unfortunately since left. it is the S2-ADF parked since September 2016. It entered the Biman fleet in August 1996, just 20 years old when it retired.
that day the plane was parked at a remote stand, perfect for some photos shooting
the flight was flying to Chittagong now called Chatogram and then to Doha. Biman operate most of his flight was a domestic stopover and then coutinue to their final destination.
the flight was not full, most of Biman's long-haul flights make a stopover either in Chittagong or Sylhet
before continuing to the Gulf or London.
The flight was not full far from there and the service will be done on the ground, a cardboard box with a small bottle of water.
the very vintage 70s floral cabin.
the aircraft was pushed back and i was lucky to be on the right side.
MD82 from GMC and united airways, DC10 of Biman and one A 310 of united airways
the second A 310 of Biman just landed before we left, this one was painted with the new colors.
the maintenance area of biman
and ready for take off.
short flight to Chittagong, the seat belts sign will remain on for 40 minutes without any cabin crew coming into the cabin.
last view of the A 310 of this short flight
