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from Chittagong to offer hassle-free travels to outbound passengers
in the port city from October 30. The national carrier of Kuwait said
it would operate on two days a week -- Friday and Sunday. The
carrier expects that flights from the port city would help it attract
those travellers who have to use Zia International Airport (ZIA) in
Dhaka for flying abroad due to an inadequate air movement at Shah
Amanat International Airport in Chittagong. "Chittagong has enormous
commercial potential. This move will enable us to offer regular
passenger and cargo services with wide-bodied aircraft to various
cities around the world," said Samiur Razzak, sales manager
(passenger) of Kuwait Airways, at a press conference at Sonargaon
Hotel in Dhaka. The carrier said it wants to bank on over 400 , 000
Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Gulf states as well as travellers
to Europe, the US and Africa. "Our main target is the US- and
Europe-bound travellers. We have set the flight schedule keeping in
mind of attracting these passengers," said the official of Kuwait
Airways, which now offers connections to 38 destinations around the
world. Razzak also hoped that the new flights would help reduce
pressure on ZIA as most of the foreign carriers now operate from the
capital instead of flying from other airports such as at Chittagong.
At present, only two foreign carriers -- Air Arabia and Oman Air --
operate flights from Chittagong along with three local airlines --
Biman, GMG and United. "Many passengers use Dhaka to fly abroad. We
want to take a lot of pressure away from the capital," the official
said. The carrier, which commenced operations in Bangladesh in 1981 ,
now operates daily flights from Dhaka. The airline will use A-300
and A-310 aircraft to operate flights from Chittagong.
