Royal Bengal Airline

Infobox Airline
airline=Royal Bengal Airline
logo=Royal Bengal Airline Logo.gif
logo_size=200
IATA=4A
ICAO=-
callsign=-
founded=2006
frequent_flyer=
lounge=
fleet_size=2
destinations=4
headquarters=London, United Kingdom
key_people=A.K. Choudhury (Chairman)
Shalim Rahman (MD)
company_slogan=The Journey Begins Here
We Fly For You
website=http://www.royalbengalairline.com/

Royal Bengal Airline (RBA) is the trading name for R B Airline UK Ltd and Aviana Airways Ltd (Bangladesh), a wholly owned company of R B Airline UK Ltd. Royal Bengal Airline has a provisional domestic, regional and international passenger & cargo operating license issued from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

History

Royal Bengal Airline was founded by members of Britain’s Bangladeshi community in June 2006 and officially launched to the public in November 2006.cite web |url=http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/article1462342.ece |title=Flight Plan |publisher=The Sunday Times, Times Newspapers Ltd. |date=2007-03-04] It is the first airline to be owned and run by British born Bangladeshis from the Sylhet region of Bangladesh and will operate long haul routes between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh with stopovers in the Middle East.cite web |url=http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2007/02/royal_bengal_ai.html |title=Royal Bengal Airline plans routes to Dhaka |publisher=CheapFlights.co.uk |date=2007-02-23] cite web |url=http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/business/s/223/223866_british_bangladeshis_launch_manchester_to_dhaka_link_.html |title=British Bangladeshis launch Manchester to Dhaka link |publisher=The Asian News (Business), Guardian Media Group |date=2007-02-22]

The airline has been founded on the basis of providing direct flights to Osmani International Airport in Sylhet from the UK to alleviate the misery of passengers enduring a sub-standard service from Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The company slogan on initial launch, "The Journey Begins Here", was a testament to this. However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has yet to confirm that Royal Bengal Airline (or any other airline) will be given access to this lucrative route.

By June 2007, the airline had raised GBP£5.5 million of investment from local businesses and stock brokers and had purchased two Dash 8-100 aircraft.cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/06/01/bengali_airline_video_feature.shtml |title=Flying high to Dhaka |publisher=BBC |date=2007-06-02] Domestic services were expected to commence during summer 2007 with international flights from the UK expected by the end of 2007 from London Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham airports.cite web |url=http://uk-airport-news.info/stansted-airport-news-240207b.htm |title=Royal Bengal Airline plans flights to Dhaka from Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester |publisher=UK Airport News |date=2007-02-24] The airline officially launched commercial operations on 31 January 2008. As of yet international flights have not commenced.

Destinations

Royal Bengal Airline operates services to the following destinations:

;Bangladesh

*Dhaka (Zia International Airport) HUB
*Chittagong (Shah Amanat International Airport)
*Cox's Bazar (Cox's Bazar Airport)
*Saidpur (Saidpur Airport)
*Sylhet (Osmani International Airport)
*Jessore(Jessore Airport)

Fleet

Royal Bengal took delivery of their first aircraft, a Dash 8-100 purchased from Cirrus Airlines on 2 October 2007, the aircraft flew into Zia International Airport in Dhaka. [ [http://www.royalbengalairline.com/newsFiles/more/press_release_02_10_07_delivery_bd.pdf Royal Bengal flies high in the skies of Bangladesh] . Royal Bengal Airline. 2007-10-02.]

The Royal Bengal Airline fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2008):

As of March 2008, the average age of the Royal Bengal Airline fleet is 17.5 years ( [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Royal%20Bengal%20Airlines.htm] ).

References

* [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/International__Business/Bangladesh_gets_fourth_private_passenger_airline/articleshow/2454984.cms Bangladesh gets fourth private passenger airline] . The Economic Times. 2007-10-13.

External links

* [http://www.royalbengalairline.com/ Royal Bengal Airline]
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=RBA&al_op=1 Royal Bengal Airline Fleet]