Biman Bangladesh Airlines has been awarded rights by Chinese regulators to fly two routes into China, paving the way for its first flights between Bangladesh and China.
A Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) notice states that Biman was allocated rights to fly between Dhaka and Guangzhou, as well as between Dhaka and Kunming. It can fly up to four times weekly for Dhaka-Guangzhou, and up to thrice weekly for Dhaka-Kunming.
According to Cirium schedules data, there are already airlines that ply both routes. On Dhaka-Guangzhou, China Southern Airlines and Bangladeshi carrier US-Bangla Airlines both fly daily currently.
Biman would face competition from China Eastern Airlines on Dhaka-Kunming. The airline flies the route daily, schedules data show.
Separately, Myanmar Airways International was awarded rights to fly from Mandalay to Hangzhou, as well as Zhengzhou. CAAC also awarded the carrier up to twice-weekly rights to fly Yangon-Hangzhou.
If it chooses to commence services, it would be the first carrier from Myanmar to do so.
Sichuan Airlines currently flies Yangon-Hangzhou twice weekly. It flies once-weekly on Mandalay-Hangzhou, which also sees a thrice-weekly service on Loong Air. China Express Airlines flies thrice weekly between Mandalay and Zhengzhou.
In total, the CAAC also awarded rights for 14 routes to and from various points in China. These include allocating Egyptair rights to fly to its third Chinese city of Shanghai from Cairo.
Three Russian carriers — Royal Flight, Azur Air, and IrAero — were also awarded rights to fly from Moscow and St Petersburg to various second-tier Chinese cities.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
