High hopes for sleeping air pact

HANOI Bangladesh’s Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister, Rashed Khan Menon, has proposed the governments of Vietnam and Bangladesh renew an aviation agreement signed more than two decades ago to open the way for a direct air link between the two countries.
Local media in Vietnam reported that the minister supported the renewal after a meeting between leaders of the Ministry of Transport last week, even though the agreement lay dormant since 1992.
The minister was quoted as saying: “The implementation of the agreement has been slow since it was inked in 1992. Therefore, Bangladesh suggests the pact be revised to pave the way for the launch of direct flights linking the two countries.”
Inside no.3 (Rashed Khan Menon) Bangladesh’s Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister
(Rashed Khan Menon) Bangladesh’s Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister
Vietnam’s Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Hong Truong said relevant agencies of the two countries should coordinate details to renew the agreement before forwarding it to the governments for consideration and approval so the revised agreement could be signed soon.
“Opening a direct air service requires close cooperation between the two countries, especially travel firms. Travel demand will increase if business activities between the two sides are strengthened.”
It also requires airlines that believe there is enough two-way traffic to sustain the route. The fact that no flights have materialised even though there was an air pact in place since 1992 suggests the basic market conditions to support nonstop flights between the two countries may not exist.

sourced:ttrweekly.com