DHACA, Bangladesh: May 21, 2018. Austrian Transport minister Norbert Hofer and Shajahan Kamal, minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism for Bangladesh, have signed an aviation agreement to begin cargo and passenger flights between the two countries.

Three years ago, German low-cost airline Niki first suggested the idea as part of a codeshare plan with Etihad. "Direct flight connections are important in order to strengthen the economic development and cultural exchange of the two countries," noted Hofer.

Earlier this month Austrian Airlines simultaneously celebrated 60 years of operations, resumed services to Tokyo from Vienna five times a week, and took delivery of another B777.

Meeting to celebrate the airline’s diamond jubilee, Austrian Federal chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr also agreed to expand Vienna as an airline hub.

“Air traffic develops particularly favourably at those flight hubs where all system partners - from the airlines and air traffic control to the airports and political decision makers - work particularly well together,” explained Spohr. “In addition to our important air traffic interfaces in Munich, Zurich and Frankfurt, we want to further enhance the profitability of Vienna and expand its role as a flight hub in European air traffic.”

According to Austrian Airlines, tourism contributes €4 billion or 1.4 percent to the country’s annual GDP and 50 percent of its exports by value are shipped as air cargo.

“Vienna’s role as an air traffic interface is essential for the Austrian economy,” said Kurtz. “For this reason, I pledged my full support to Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr in safeguarding the viability of Vienna Airport and expanding its role as a flight hub. In particular, we want to quickly implement the third runway project,” he added.

In a related move Lufthansa Cargo, formerly head by Spohr, has begun a twice weekly B777 freighter service from Frankfurt to Chengdu - adding to Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong flights.