In addition to its website, Biman Bangladesh Airlines is starting to sell tickets through mobile apps. On Jan 4, 2017, Biman formed a six-member committee to make the app which will come into being after three years.
On Tuesday (Nov 19), Biman has said that to facilitate easy travel for passengers, the app is being launched. Using the app, Biman tickets to all destinations can be purchased. Passengers can also pay through mobile banking services like bKash, Rocket or credit card services.
If the app is downloaded from the Apple apps store, all details about flights can be accessed. Through this, passengers will be able to know details of flight status, schedule, sales centres, online ticket refunding etc.
On Jan 4, 2017, a committee was formed in this regard at the office order of the then director (admin) Belayet Hossain. The order asked for a plan to be submitted within 30 days along with the adoption of formalities. The head of the committee was deputy general manager of sales.
CEO of Biman, Md Mokabbir Hossain says: “I do not know if a committee was formed or not; but we took an initiative in the last six months and hopefully, the PM will inaugurate it.”
Through this, passengers would be able to buy tickets easily and other services. A gazette notification was issued on Sept 12, announcing Md Mokabbir Hossain as the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Biman. Previously, he was an additional secretary of the ministry of civil aviation and tourism.
Meanwhile, app developer company MCC Limited CEO SM Ashraf Abir says that the most important factor in an airlines app is the booking engine.
“If it’s ready, it’s possible to develop an app in two or three months. If not, then it takes a year at the most,” he said.
“Biman tickets can be booked on the web now so they shouldn’t need a new booking engine,” he said before adding that six months is enough time to develop Biman’s app.
Abir said that it takes around a week for smaller apps while as long as a year for bigger ones but it all depends on the features and use.