Staff Reporter:
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Md Safiqur Rahman yesterday claimed that advance seat booking and ticket blocking are at zero level at the national
flag carrier.
“Any individuals found involved in ticketing fraud are removed from their respective departments as soon as information is received,” he said.
The Biman chief made these comments at a meeting with the Executive Committee of the Avia-tion and Tourism Journalist Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) at Biman’s headquarters Balaka in the capital.
Regarding recent reports of ticket blocking and artificial ticket hoarding for destinations like Saudi Arabia and various Middle Eastern countries, Rahman said that there is currently no advance seat booking or ticket blocking at Biman.
“I personally monitor this issue,” he said.
Regarding baggage management at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, he said that efforts are being made to improve baggage handling.
“Whenever complaints arise about baggage, immediate action is taken,” he said.
Pointing that there are some infrastructural limitations at HSIA, the CEO hoped that with the opening of the third terminal, baggage management will improve further.
He added that to ensure transparency in baggage management, airline staff are equipped with body-worn cameras.
They wear the cameras when entering their duty for baggage handling and return them when their shift is over.
Additionally, 150 new cameras have been purchased to enhance surveillance, said the Biman chief.
On preparations for Biman’s Hajj flights, he mentioned that the current fleet of the airline is suffi-cient to operate scheduled flights without disruption.
He expressed hope that, as always, pilgrims will be able to perform the Hajj smoothly with Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Rahman also stated that efforts are underway to reduce flight delays to zero, make crew and staff behavior more customer-friendly, and make Biman more passenger-friendly overall.
During the courtesy meeting, ATJFB President Tanzim Anwar and General Secretary Baten Bipul also spoke among others.
