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Govt mulls allowing budget carriers at ZIA

Sohel Parvez
The government is considering allowing low-cost carriers to operate from Zia International Airport (ZIA) in response to demands from airlines to open up the capital's airport for competition.
According to experts, such a move would benefit passengers as it would bring down ticket prices and improve services.
"We are working on it. We have asked the stakeholders, especially representatives from the private sector to submit their opinions," a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation andlburism said.
Market players said the 20 or so carriers in operation from Dhaka at the moment are what are called 'legacy carriers'. These are the carriers that include business class, lounges, frequent flyer programmes, alliances and inflight services such as food and beverages.
At present, there is no airline offering low-cost travel from Dhaka, the official said.
However the low cost airliner Air Arabia has been operating out of Chittagong's Shah Amanat International Airport since June 2007. Air Arabia is now asking to stan flights out of Dhaka.
"We are now operating from Chittagong offering cheaper fares to travellers. If we are allowed to operate from Dhaka, we could help save foreign currencies earned by
Bangladeshis working in the Middle East," said Abdur Rahim of One World Aviation, Bangladesh, the sales agent of Air Arabia here.
Zia International Airport, according to the national encyclo-pedia of Bangladesh-BANGLAPEDIA, witnesses the bulk of passenger arrivals and departures. Chittagong airport, the second largest one, handles only around 17 percent of passengers.
Air transport demand will grow at about 7.5 percent a year on an average till 2010, it said.
Imran Asif, an aviation industry consultant, said the government should permit any type of airline to operate from Dhaka to encourage competition and improve services provided by the airliners.
"As a customer, we have the right to choose. Low cost carriers are operating across the globe. Why not in our country? Those who want to travel at cheaper prices, they will go," he said.
"Competition will definitely improve the standard of services being offered," he said, adding that
the government should treat both local and international carriers equally.
MA Muhaimin Saleh, president of the Association of lYavel Agents of Bangladesh, however, said: "If the existing airlines cut their fares, there is no need for low-cost carriers here."
"The only merit is its cheaper price," he said, "It has no in-flight services and it doesn’t offer any commission to travel agents."
I Ie however suggested facilitating local airlines to save foreign currencies.