A total of 107 direct and transit flights between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have been cancelled due to operational restrictions at Saudi airports, affecting 16,620 passengers, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
Muhammad Kawsar Mahmud, assistant director of CAAB’s Public Relations Department, disclosed the information in a statement on Friday, October 16.
According to the statement, the cancelled flights included 44 direct flights and 63 transit flights.
Among the four airlines operating direct flights, Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled 17 flights, US-Bangla Airlines 10, Saudia 10 and Riyadh Airways seven.
For transit flights, IndiGo cancelled 22, Emirates 14, Qatar Airways nine, SalamAir seven, flydubai six, Air India four and EgyptAir one.
CAAB said the disruptions stemmed from operational restrictions at airports in Saudi Arabia, forcing passengers to change their travel plans and causing significant inconvenience.
The cancellations followed deadly attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants, according to the original report. However, the specific connection between the attacks and the airport restrictions was not detailed in the information provided.