A total of 100 flights between Dhaka and Saudi Arabia had been cancelled or suspended as of Wednesday, October 14, affecting 15,393 passengers amid attacks on Saudi airports.
The disruption has caused considerable hardship for travellers, particularly migrant workers whose Saudi visas are nearing expiry.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said 41 of the 100 cancelled or suspended flights were direct flights, while the remaining 59 were transit flights.
Following government instructions, Biman Bangladesh Airlines and other carriers have taken initiatives to transport passengers to their destinations through alternative airports. Airlines are allowing passengers to change their tickets free of charge, subject to seat availability on alternative flights. As a result, many travellers have been unable to secure immediate departures despite changing their bookings.
Of the affected direct flights, 17 were operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 by US-Bangla Airlines, seven by Riyadh Airways and seven by Saudia Airlines.
Flights from Dhaka operate to Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, both directly and through transit connections. Operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh have been completely suspended, while flights at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam have also been disrupted, with many services cancelled or suspended.
Due to the situation, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended all flights on its Riyadh and Dammam routes until October 17.
However, operations at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah remain normal. Flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah experienced some disruptions earlier in the week, but aircraft departures and arrivals are now continuing.
Following government instructions, airlines are arranging to transport passengers originally booked to travel to Riyadh and Dammam through Madinah and Jeddah, subject to ticket availability. Although these alternative routes offer a way to reach destinations, limited seats remain a major challenge.
An official of Biman Bangladesh Airlines said passengers whose visas are nearing expiry are being given priority for free ticket changes. Efforts are being made to accommodate passengers on available flights, although this has occasionally resulted in overbooking.
The official also said some passengers had been returned even after clearing immigration. They are being sent to Saudi Arabia again on subsequent flights.
Airline officials said the entire ticket-change process depends on seat availability on alternative flights, as the affected routes already have existing bookings. This limits the airlines' ability to accommodate passengers whose flights have been cancelled.
Securing alternative flights quickly has become particularly urgent for migrant workers whose visas are close to expiring.