Biman’s ground-handling monopoly faces competition

Bangladesh is set to break Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ decades-long monopoly over ground handling at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), with a world-class operator to be appointed through open competition alongside the national flag carrier at the Third Terminal.

The move is aimed at improving baggage delivery, aircraft turnaround, safety and overall ground-handling efficiency, officials and industry sources said.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has set a clear target: passengers should receive their baggage within 15 to 40 minutes. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) will be empowered to penalise operators that fail to meet the stipulated standard.

For decades, Biman has handled ground services for both its own flights and foreign airlines operating at HSIA, leaving carriers with limited choice. The entry of a second operator is expected to introduce competition over baggage handling, turnaround time, equipment, safety, manpower and service costs.

Several major international ground-handling companies, including Menzies Aviation, Swissport, Çelebi Aviation, dnata and SATS, have reportedly shown interest.

Industry experts said the successful operator should be selected not simply on the basis of financial bids but on its technology, modern equipment, trained manpower, safety record, financial strength and measurable service performance.

Baggage handling will be a key test. Modern airports increasingly use Baggage Reconciliation Systems (BRS) to identify, track and reconcile bags throughout the journey, reducing the risk of bags being misloaded, left behind or sent to the wrong destination.

The International Air Transport Association’s Resolution 753 requires member airlines to track baggage at four critical points: acceptance from passengers, loading onto the aircraft, transfer between flights and delivery to passengers.

Yet baggage mishandling remains a global problem. IATA data showed 6.3 bags per 1,000 passengers were mishandled in 2024, involving around 33.4 million bags. Transfer-related mishandling accounted for about 41 per cent.

Menzies Aviation, one of the companies reportedly interested in the HSIA opportunity, has been deploying a next-generation BRS developed with aviation technology specialist ABOMIS. The company says the system reduced short-shipped baggage by 70 per cent at Milan Malpensa Airport.

Menzies operates at around 350 airports in 65 countries, employs about 65,000 people and supported around 5.3 million flights in 2025, according to company information.
The arrival of a competing operator could also put pressure on Biman to improve its own ground-handling performance, particularly in baggage delivery, aircraft turnaround, equipment, staffing, technology and pricing.

The reform, however, will be judged not by the name of the operator selected but by the experience of passengers.