189 Dhaka flights to Riyadh and Dammam cancelled, 23,274 passengers affected

A total of 189 flights from Dhaka to Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled. The number of affected passengers stands at 23,274, according to sources at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

The CAAB sources said that of the flights cancelled between 10 October and Wednesday (11 November), 112 were direct flights and 77 were transit flights.

Among the direct flights, 55 belonged to Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 to US-Bangla Airlines, 22 to Saudia Airlines and 25 to Riyadh Airways.

Among the transit flights, 30 were operated by IndiGo, 14 by Emirates, nine by Qatar Airways, eight by flydubai, seven by Salam Air, eight by Air India and one by EgyptAir. Passengers on those flights were due to travel to Riyadh and Dammam with transits at various destinations. But because flights were cancelled from their own countries, the airlines did not carry passengers from Dhaka.

Earlier, Riyadh airport was declared closed after a recent Houthi attack. Dammam also came under attack. Following those incidents, Biman Bangladesh Airlines initially suspended flights to Riyadh and Dammam until 17 October. That period was later extended further.