Bangladesh’s Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) has launched a review following a series of complaints against Sri Lanka-based airline FitsAir over alleged passenger mistreatment, including prolonged flight delays, keeping passengers onboard for hours, and poor customer service.
The latest incident occurred on Saturday on a Dhaka-Colombo flight, where 182 passengers alleged they were forced to remain inside the aircraft for nearly five and a half hours. According to passengers, the flight was scheduled to depart at 2:15 a.m., but they were informed of a technical issue and were not allowed to disembark before the aircraft finally departed at around 7:50 a.m. Several passengers said the prolonged wait caused physical discomfort and mental distress.
Passengers claim the latest incident is part of a recurring pattern. A Facebook group titled Fits Air Sufferers has collected accounts from more than a hundred travelers, many of whom allege repeated flight delays, inadequate service, and poor treatment by the airline.
One passenger, Sonia Rifat, alleged that FitsAir has been causing inconvenience to travelers for years and urged affected passengers to unite in seeking accountability. Another traveler, Zobayer Hossain, said his July 10 flight was delayed by six hours and claimed passengers were kept onboard throughout the delay under unsatisfactory conditions.
Mahiyuddin Himel also shared his experience, alleging that a FitsAir flight from the Maldives to Sri Lanka was delayed by nearly 15 hours last November, describing lengthy delays as a recurring issue for the carrier.
Responding to the allegations, a FitsAir spokesperson identified as Rana said the flight itself was delayed by only 45 minutes, adding that runway maintenance at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, adverse weather conditions, and aviation warnings contributed to the extended departure time.
However, passenger accounts and timestamped photographs indicate the aircraft departed at approximately 7:50 a.m., several hours after its scheduled 2:15 a.m. departure.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Executive Director Group Captain S.M. Ragib Samad said engineers detected insufficient hydraulic fluid during pre-flight inspections and declared the aircraft unfit for departure until the issue was resolved. He said the technical fault was the primary reason for the delay.
Samad added that if repeated complaints against FitsAir are substantiated, the matter will be examined by the relevant authorities.
A senior BCAA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the regulator is reviewing the complaints and will investigate allegations of repeated passenger harassment.
FitsAir, a privately owned Sri Lankan low-cost international airline, launched direct flights between Dhaka and Colombo on April 16, 2024.
