Private airline Novoair to resume services from May 21

After two weeks of suspension, private airline Novoair is set to resume flight services on domestic routes from May 21.

It has also offered a 15 percent discount on ticket prices in a statement on Thursday.

The airline suspended its flights on May 2, mentioning that the closure was temporary.

Mofizur Rahman, managing director of Novoair, said: “I am pleased to announce that we will start operating flights from next Wednesday. The flight operations were suspended as part of our business plan.

“We have received tremendous support and encouragement from our esteemed passengers and well-wishers during the break.”

He said, “We have always been committed to better passenger service, and our priority is providing safe travel. We look forward to welcoming you all back."

To avail a 15 percent discount on ticket prices, passengers will have to buy tickets by writing “VQWEBAPP” in the promo code option on Novoair's website or mobile app, the statement read.

Passengers will be able to buy tickets through Novoair's website, mobile app, Novoair sales office or the nearest travel agent from Thursday.

Rumours of Novoair winding down its business have been around for almost two years. In late January 2024, Novoair sold two ATR 72-500 aircraft to Nepal's Yeti Airlines, and they took possession of the two aircraft on Feb 1.

At the time, a Novoair official said they were selling the ATR aircraft suitable for short-haul flights to buy aircraft for long routes.

After selling those, the private airline now has five aircraft on its fleet.

Novoair started passenger transport from Dhaka to Chattogram on Jan 9, 2013.

Since then, they have operated over 100,000 flights and served more than 7.5 million passengers.

According to the fortnightly travel magazine The Bangladesh Monitor, Novoair won the “Best Domestic Airline” award in 2014 and 2019, and the “Best Ontime Performance Airline” award in 2022 and 2023.

Novoair launched international flights on the Dhaka-Kolkata route in December 2016. They suspended flights on this route for a few days during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although it was later resumed, the airline once again “temporarily” suspended flight operations on this route on Sept 16, 2024. It is still closed.