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A total of 189 direct and transit flights from Dhaka to Riyadh and Dammam have been cancelled, affecting 23,274 passengers, due to the security situation in Saudi Arabia.
The cancellations took place between October 10 and November 11, according to sources at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
Of the cancelled flights, 112 were direct services and 77 were transit flights.
Among the direct flights, Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled 55, US-Bangla Airlines 10, Saudia Airlines 22 and Riyadh Air 25.
IndiGo was the most affected among transit carriers, with 30 flights cancelled. The cancellations also included 14 Emirates flights, nine Qatar Airways flights, eight each by flydubai and Air India, seven by SalamAir and one by EgyptAir.
Passengers were scheduled to travel to Riyadh and Dammam through connecting flights via airports in different countries. However, following cancellations by the airlines operating those routes, passengers waiting in Dhaka were also denied boarding.
As a result, both direct passengers and those relying on transit connections have faced significant travel disruptions.
Earlier, operations at Riyadh airport were suspended on security grounds following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Dammam also came under attack around the same time.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, Biman Bangladesh Airlines initially suspended flights on its Riyadh and Dammam routes until October 17. The suspension was subsequently extended in view of the evolving situation.
The prolonged security concerns have created uncertainty over travel plans for thousands of Bangladeshis heading to Saudi Arabia.
Those particularly affected include migrant workers travelling to take up jobs, expatriates returning to their workplaces after leave and passengers seeking to visit the kingdom for urgent reasons.
