This is an exciting time for us here at Biman Bangladesh Airlines. We are preparing to take delivery of two brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft that will fly non-stop from Seattle to Dhaka. But it’s also a bittersweet time as we announce the details of the final passenger flights of our Douglas DC-10 aircraft. Retirement is an emotional time for anyone and no less for us, as we prepare for the withdrawal from service of not only our last DC-10, but the world’s last operational passenger DC-10. Having flown the skies since 1971, 446 DC10s were built and this aircraft was one of the last to come off the Long Beach, California production line in 1988.

Airlines quietly pull older aircraft from service every day and generally are never seen again. However, as a lover of aviation, l think this retirement is something special and deserves a more fitting send-off to an aviation museum. Therefore today, Biman is honoured to announce the farewell journey of this workhouse of our fleet and what an exciting send-off it will be!

On, or about Feb 14th, this three-engine wide-body will be withdrawn from scheduled service and prepped by engineering for its final flights. The last commercial flight will be on Thursday, Feb 20 when flight BG1015 takes to the skies at 0830 from Dhaka enroute to Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Operating via Kuwait this flight will arrive in Birmingham the same day at 1620. Priced at only ₤ 600 (plus taxes) for a window seat or ₤ 500 plus taxes, for all the other seats, we have kept the pricing at minimal levels to ensure the flight is accessible to as many as possible.

But this is not its final operation. Due to an overwhelming response from aviation enthusiasts from around the world, we are going to operate scenic flights on the weekend of Feb 22, 23 and 24 from Birmingham airport. The first flights to go on sale will operate on the Monday, Feb 24th at 0900, 1200 and 1500 with a block time of an estimated one-hour. If as expected, they sell out quickly we open up the Sunday, Feb 23rd flights up for the same times of 0900, 1200 and 1500. As these sell out then we will open up the Saturday flights also at the same times – 0900, 1200 and 1500. As with the last commercial flight from Dhaka, we are keeping the prices for these scenic flights at reasonable levels with prices of ₤150 for a window seat and ₤100 for an aisle seat. Please note that for the last commercial flight ever on Monday Feb 24 @ 1500, prices have been set slightly higher at ₤200/₤150. In order to keep the flights as “special” as possible we are only selling 152 of the 319 seats on the aircraft – therefore all are window or aisle seats.

We want to make sure these flights only sold to aviation enthusiasts and not to 3rd parties or wholesalers, so you must book on-line at www.biman-airlines.com. For the last commercial flight ever, on Feb 24 @ 1500, we have teamed up with Ian Allan travel in the UK at www.ianallantravel.com/aviationtours/ who will also sell tickets.

Please join me in wishing a fond farewell to the world’s last passenger DC10 in service as she prepares to go on show at an aviation museum.

Yours truly,
Kevin Steele, MD