Boeing revealed an order valued at $585 million for a pair of 787-9s from Biman Bangladesh Airlines at the Dubai Airshow Sunday. The order, recorded in October as unidentified in Boeing’s books, augments Biman’s fleet of four 787-8s and four 777-300ERs.

Appearing yesterday with Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal and Boeing Global Services CEO Ted Colbert, Biman Bangladesh chairman Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari said the plan is first to add frequencies to existing routes, such as from Dhaka to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Bari also named new services to Manchester, scheduled to start January 5, and from Manchester to Toronto.

The airline is also awaiting clearance to fly onward services from Singapore to Bali and Tokyo Narita, as well as direct from Dhaka to New York.  

Biman has chosen GE engines to power its 787-9s and Bari alluded to the possibility of ordering 787-10s in the future. “The [Dreamliner’s] biggest advantage is that the same crew can fly all three airplanes,” he said.     

"One of our key priorities is to have a modern fleet with technologically advanced airplanes that will enable us to expand our international reach,” added Bari. “While we have a good domestic network, we plan to extend our international network to include more destinations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The 787, with its technological superiority, excellent operational performance, and passenger experience will enable us to achieve that goal."

Biman Bangladesh’s 787-9s will come configured in a 298-seat, three-class configuration and bring a range of 7,530 nautical miles.