A Boeing AJS-787 Dreamliner of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which was hit by a bird strike on December 18 in England, is set to return to Bangladesh on Sunday. 

The aircraft, carrying 250 passengers, underwent a mechanical complication following the bird strike. 

This is the first time a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight suffered a bird strike abroad.

The bird strike took place when the aircraft was landing at Manchester Airport.

All passengers of the aircraft were safe during the incident, the national flag carrier claimed. 

The affected flight departed at 11am (Bangladesh time) from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 17 with an expected arrival time of 7:30pm (Manchester time) at Manchester Airport.

The flight was also scheduled to fly for Dhaka with around 200 passengers at 9pm from Manchester.

However, the aircraft could not be brought back due to the damage in the engine. Thereafter, Biman was compelled to keep all passengers at the Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport and spend £200 per passenger every day. 

On Thursday, Biman sent two engineers by flight BG207 from Dhaka to Manchester at 11:50am. The flight reached Manchester on Friday.

Subsequently, BG207 was used to transport all passengers back to Dhaka on the same day.

Steps taken by Biman

Following the incident, Biman negotiated with both Boeing and the engine manufacturer and requested permission for the damaged flight to return to Dhaka.

However, they were not granted permission as the damage was more significant than expected, a Biman official told Dhaka Tribune recently.

Biman later leased some of the engine's front part from a location approximately 4 hours away from Manchester Airport, while the rest of the parts were transported on Thursday.

The airlines had also contacted a maintenance company to change the engine’s front parts.

In this regard, Air Commodore Md Moazzem Hossain, director of Engineering and Material Management of Biman Bangladesh Airlines told Dhaka Tribune: “After a bird strike, the aircraft engine inlet cowl (engine fan section) was damaged and we were not permitted to operate the aircraft by Boeing because of safety concerns.

“The Engineering section of Boeing informed us that it will be repaired by 5pm (Manchester time) on Friday. The aircraft will be able to fly after 8pm (local time) on the same day.”

Requesting anonymity, some passengers of the affected flight told Dhaka Tribune that Biman ensured their safety and provided sufficient food and other support on time.  

Biman operates weekly flights to Manchester on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.