Restrictions at Saudi Arabia’s airports and disruptions to flight operations have severely affected Saudi-bound flights scheduled to depart from Dhaka, leaving thousands of passengers facing uncertainty.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said a total of 86 direct and transit flights had been cancelled or suspended so far, affecting 13,490 expatriates and other passengers.
Of the affected flights, 36 were direct flights and 50 were transit flights, according to CAAB.
Among airlines operating direct flights to various destinations in Saudi Arabia, 14 flights of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 of US-Bangla Airlines, seven of Riyadh Airways and five of Saudia Airlines were cancelled or suspended.
Transit flights carrying passengers to Saudi Arabia via airports in the Middle East and neighbouring countries were also significantly affected. Of the 50 disrupted transit flights, IndiGo operated 22, Emirates 11, Qatar Airways and flydubai six each, SalamAir four, and EgyptAir one.
Passengers have been advised to stay in contact with their respective airlines regarding flight rescheduling or ticket date changes until the situation returns to normal.
