Biman staffers damage Gulf Air plane

Gulf Air has sought several crores of taka in damages after a ground handling equipment of Biman hit a Gulf Air Boeing 787 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport damaging the fuselage and putting the plane out of service.

The incident took place on November 17, sources said. The plane of the Bahrain flag carrier has remained at HSIA since then.

Biman formed a three-member committee led by a chief engineer to investigate the incident, said its Managing Director and CEO Zahid Hossain, adding that the committee was asked to submit its findings in two days.

"We will take action against the responsible people and will decide on the compensation after getting the probe report," added the Biman boss.

Biman is in charge of ground handling services at the HSIA.

Officials at the airport said this was not the first time that such an incident happened at the HSIA due to "carelessness of ground support staff of Biman".

On April 10, a Boeing 777-300ER of Biman, while being taken into a hangar, was rammed into the carrier's Boeing 737-800, which was already parked in the hanger.

The 777's radome, the cone at the nose of the plane, and its front bulkhead and the 737's horizontal stabiliser were damaged.

In June, a Biman 787 was rammed into another 737 at the hanger, damaging both.

In the same month, another Biman 787 aircraft collided with a boarding bridge.

A top official of Turkish Airlines said due to negligence of Biman's ground staffers, two planes of Turkish Airlines were damaged in recent years.

Aviation experts questioned whether Biman's ground handling staffers were following the standard operating procedure.

Officials of different foreign airlines serving Dhaka said Biman's image at home and abroad was being seriously questioned because of such incidents.

Biman former MD and CEO MA Momen said such incidents show the level of callousness on the part of Biman staffers. "The accidents might be the result of not taking action against culprits due to strong influence of CBA and union leaders," he said.