As Bangladesh’s aviation sector enters a new phase of accelerated growth, driven by rising passenger demand, expanding airport infrastructure, and growing international connectivity, the country’s private airlines are increasingly positioning themselves for the next chapter of regional and global expansion.

Among the emerging players, Air Astra, Bangladesh’s youngest scheduled private carrier, is preparing to spread its wings beyond domestic skies as it moves toward a major fleet expansion and its international debut.

In an exclusive conversation with Md Tanzim Anwar, President of the Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum of Bangladesh, Imran Asif, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Astra, shared his assessment of Bangladesh’s evolving aviation ecosystem, Air Astra’s aggressive fleet expansion strategy, its preparations for international operations, and the carrier’s long-term vision of becoming a significant regional player in South Asian aviation.

What is the long-term vision of Air Astra in the context of Bangladesh’s rapidly growing aviation market?

As a steadily-growing economy, Bangladesh holds tremendous potential of growth of the commercial aviation industry, and Air Astra wants to become a safe, reliable and affordable provider of connectivity—both within Bangladesh as well as to major international destinations.

How do you position Air Astra in competition with established carriers like Biman, Novoair, US-Bangla Airlines?

We position ourselves [among the other carriers] in the market with the distinctively superior service on the ground and in the air - something that the frequent travellers have already come to appreciate over the past 3+ years that we've been around in the industry. Our safety and service standards have earned us the trust of organizations such as the UN organizations, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and others - all of whom have been regular customers of Air Astra as we meet their stringent quality and compliance expectations.

How do you plan to expand Air Astra’s domestic network, and are there plans to enter international routes in the future?

Our fleet of 3x ATR72-600 aircraft is poised to grow to 6x aircraft by July 2026—which will allow us to offer significantly more flight options across our domestic network in Bangladesh. We are also working to add modern narrow-body aircraft within 2026 to expand our operations to popular international destinations as we already have necessary govt. approvals to operate flights to 15 destinations in 12 countries.

What are the biggest operational challenges you currently face in Bangladesh’s aviation sector?

To put it straight - policies, infrastructure, and human resource. The policies and regulations are not cohesive to current global practices; infrastructure development have been extremely inadequate to accommodate growth; and development of skilled human resource have been next to nothing over 5 decades. 

How does Air Astra ensure safety, punctuality, and service quality while operating with a relatively small fleet?

We started to work on it even before we began commercial operations, and became the youngest-ever airline from Bangladesh to be an IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registered. IOSA is the global benchmark in aviation safety standards and even the biggest airlines of the world (nearly 500 airlines including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines) are all IOSA-registered airlines. Being an IOSA airline since 2024, we have implemented the practices from early-on which ensures optimum safety and impeccable service delivery.

What role do you think regulatory bodies like CAAB play in shaping the future of private airlines in Bangladesh?

CAAB, as the primary regulatory authority for the industry, should be empowered with adequate resources to stay on top of the evolving standards around the world. Up until now, our regulations have lagged behind - both in terms of progressive development and enforcement, due to lack of resources both in terms of tools and workforce required. 

How is Air Astra investing in technology and customer experience to differentiate itself from competitors?

On our upcoming narrow-body aircraft fleet for international operations, we will have high-speed, satellite Internet onboard for every passenger. We are also exploring solutions that will ease and enhance passengers' experience while booking for tickets and holiday packages, and also while checking-in for their flights at any station.

What is your message to passengers and stakeholders about Air Astra’s future direction and commitment to the aviation industry in Bangladesh?

Air Astra aspires to become the most-preferred airline from Bangladesh, and it plans to offer innovative travel solutions that will offer world-class comfort and quality, while ensuring value for money. We urge the government and the relevant authorities to help the industry with forward-thinking policies and look at the bigger picture of allowing travel & tourism to contribute to the economy. I honestly believe that after RMG and remittance, air travel can become a major contributor to the country's economy if right policymaking can be done.