Ethiopian Airlines and Air China will start their operations in Bangladesh from next May. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is preparing to operate the flights of these two foreign airlines.

Civil Aviation Authority chairman Air Vice Marshal Mofidur Rahman told UNB that preparations are underway to assist Ethiopian Airlines and Air China as part of preparations to make Bangladesh an aviation hub.

CAA informed the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and directed Biman Bangladesh Airlines to assist these airlines in ground handling services.

Sohag Hossain, Managing Director of Rhythm Group, General Sales Agent (GSA) of Bangladesh Airlines told UNB, “We are hopeful that we will be able to start the Addis Ababa-Dhaka-Addis Ababa direct flight in the third week of May.”

He said initially it will operate five flights a week.

Ethiopian Airlines plans to launch flights between Addis Ababa and Dhaka in May, initially operating five flights a week. The airline, known for its extensive network in Africa, intends to operate daily flights to Dhaka using its Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft, which will connect expatriate Bangladeshis from Addis Ababa to major cities in Europe and North America.

In December 2023, an aviation agreement was signed between Ethiopia and Bangladesh after diplomatic talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With 147 aircraft, Ethiopian Airlines is Africa’s largest airline and the world’s fourth largest among the countries it serves.

In view of increasing connectivity between China and Bangladesh, Air China will launch two flights a week on the Dhaka-Beijing-Dhaka route.

The aim of this move is to facilitate travel. Because currently flights from Dhaka to Chinese cities like Kunming and Guangzhou require additional transfers to reach the capital. With a fleet of 497 aircraft, Air China plans to expand international and regional routes to its existing 452 routes.