Int'l airlines moving away from Chattogram Airport

Chattogram : International carriers, one after another, are shutting down operations at Shah Amanat International Airport of Chattogram over several concerns like absence of international travellers, limited airport facilities and inadequate airline rescheduling routes, said reports citing concerned officials.

According to reports, four international carriers moved away from the airport of the port city in the last 11 months. This leaves only two foreign airlines operating at the airport currently-Air Arabia and SalamAir.

The latest one to shut down operations was the Dubai-based airline Flydubai. It halted its operations at the airport on September 1, 2024.

Earlier, Oman Air shut down flights at the airport on March 8, 2024.

In October 2023, Indian airline SpiceJet and Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways also stopped flights to and from the airport.

Since the launch of international flight services at the airport 20 years ago, a total of 14 international carriers so far have stopped their operations, added reports.

Besides the two foreign airlines, two domestic airlines-Biman and US-Bangla-also operate international flights to and from Chattogram.

Furthermore, NOVOAIR and Air Astra operate domestic flights to and from the airport.

Recent visa restrictions from Dubai and Oman have resulted in a shortage of passengers on international routes from Chattogram, as most of the passengers from Chattogram usually travel to Middle East, said reports.

Another issue at the airport is the unavailability of services at Chattogram Airport after 12:00 am, whereas most of the foreign airlines carry passengers after midnight.

Staff shortages also remain at the airport while landing charges are too high.