US-Bangla defends safety record after spate of technical glitches
The airline’s response follows a series of disruptions on flights to Chattogram, Chennai and Dubai, prompting passenger complaints over delays and onboard conditions.
US-Bangla Airlines has defended its safety record after at least four technical incidents involving its aircraft in the past three weeks, saying such glitches are a routine part of aviation and that no aircraft is allowed to operate until all faults are rectified and mandatory inspections are completed.
The airline's response follows a series of disruptions on flights to Chattogram, Chennai and Dubai, prompting passenger complaints over delays and onboard conditions.
The latest incident occurred on 15 July, when Dubai-Dhaka flight BS342 was delayed after pilots received a technical warning just before take-off. Passengers later took to social media to complain about hours-long delays and a lack of information at Dubai airport.
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A day earlier, another Dubai-Dhaka flight was also delayed after a technical fault was detected before departure.
On 13 July, passengers on a Dhaka-Chennai flight said they remained onboard for nearly four hours with inadequate cooling after technical and operational issues delayed the flight by more than seven hours. US-Bangla said one of the aircraft's two air-conditioning packs had malfunctioned but the other remained operational, allowing the aircraft to fly in accordance with the manufacturer's approved technical manual.
Earlier, on 24 June, a Dhaka-Chattogram flight aborted take-off after a cockpit warning indicated a possible engine fire. The aircraft returned for inspection, but engineers found no evidence of an actual fire. Passengers were later flown on a replacement aircraft.
Responding to the incidents, US-Bangla spokesperson Kamrul Islam said occasional technical defects are inevitable, particularly in older aircraft, but insisted the airline never compromises on safety.
"No aircraft is allowed to operate until every technical issue has been resolved and all required inspections have been completed," he said.
Kamrul said such incidents are expected to decline after the delivery of 21 new Boeing aircraft, part of the airline's recently announced $1.11 billion fleet expansion programme.
He also alleged that some groups were deliberately amplifying isolated incidents on social media following the fleet expansion announcement.
"Safety comes first. If an aircraft is not considered airworthy, it simply will not fly," he said.
