Biman halts Saudi flights until October 17

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended all flights from Dhaka to Dammam and Riyadh until October 17 over passenger safety concerns following attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia.

In a press release issued on Tuesday evening, the national flag carrier said further decisions on the suspended flights and revised schedules would be announced in due course.

Passengers requiring urgent travel to Saudi Arabia or returning to Bangladesh can use Jeddah and Madinah international airports, Biman said. Passengers have been advised to contact the airline’s nearest sales centre for ticketing and travel-related information.

Meanwhile, restrictions on operations at Saudi airports have disrupted 61 direct and transit flights from Bangladesh, affecting 9,269 passengers, according to the latest data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

Of the affected flights, 22 were direct services and 39 were transit flights. The direct flights included nine operated by Biman, two by US-Bangla Airlines, four by Saudia and seven by Riyadh Air.

Among the disrupted transit flights, 16 were operated by IndiGo, nine by Emirates, five each by Qatar Airways and flydubai, three by SalamAir and one by EgyptAir.

The disruptions have affected passengers travelling through both direct routes and international transit connections amid continuing restrictions at Saudi airports.

- MaT