NovoAir takes to BD sky in winter

DHAKA: NovoAir, a new airline is expected to take to the air in Bangladesh before the year end to provide quality service to an underserved market.

Confirming the matter, NovoAir Managing Director Group Captain Mofizur Rahman afwc, pse (Retd.) said, “We are almost at the final stage. We have received the NOC and are waiting for CAAB inspections. We want to start by 2012 winter.”

“ The soon-to-be-launched airline has purchased two 50-seater twin-jet Embraer E145s and hopes to go for the third one after six months of operation” , he added.

Embraer E145s aircraft has better sustainability, high cruising altitude and is much more stable. The aircraft has a good range to offer regional services and can be used to serve Kolkata, Kathmandu, Yangon, Bengaluru and Chiang Mai, Mofizur Rahman said.

The aircraft was selected to offer premium services. Dash-8 is an old phenomena and Id like to avoid unfair poaching of crew members and technicians, he said.

The two aircraft were operated by bmi and are now being readied for delivery while the engines are being done so in US.

Novo sources said six expatriate and 12 Bangladeshi pilots, five Captains and seven first officers have already been hired and are receiving training as it is a new type of aircraft. The Bangladeshi pilots already have B767 and MD83 experience.

Initial domestic destinations include Chittagong, Sylhet, Coxs Bazar and Jessore. Then the airline will go for underserved or not served destinations like Barisal, Rajshahi and Syedpur.

After having a successful domestic footprint, the airline hopes to go international.

NovoTel is an international gateway (IGW) company providing international voice traffic termination to and from Bangladesh since August 2008.

BDST: 1046 HRS, JUL 31, 2012
Edited by: Maria Salam, Asst Output Editor