Airlines told to rebook, refund as govt hopeful on visa issue

The government is hopeful of resolving the visa crisis facing Bangladeshi migrant workers stranded by flight disruptions following Houthi attacks on Saudi airports, while airlines have been asked to arrange rebooking and refunds for affected passengers.

A total of 100 direct and transit flights from Dhaka to Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or suspended, leaving 15,393 passengers facing uncertainty, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque told this correspondent that the government had requested Saudi Arabia to extend the visas of workers stranded in Bangladesh due to the disruptions.

“We have faced similar situations earlier in four countries�"the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar. We overcame those problems through discussions with the respective countries. We are hopeful that we will overcome this situation as well,” he said.

He added that Saudi authorities were currently preoccupied with the security situation following Houthi attacks. “Once the situation returns to normal, the visa problem will also be resolved,” he said.

Director of the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board (WEWB) Md Zakir Hussain said the board was working to assist affected workers. Some migrants first encountered difficulties on October 11, but authorities were now providing regular updates on flight cancellations. “We are issuing notices and have ensured accommodation facilities for distressed workers at our Kawla centre,” he said.

Regarding financial assistance, Zakir Hussain said the board generally supports migrant workers facing difficulties abroad and the families of deceased expatriates. It also arranges the transportation of deceased workers’ bodies to Bangladesh.

CAAB spokesperson Kawser Mahmud said on Wednesday that flight cancellations and suspensions could continue if operations at Saudi airports did not return to normal. CAAB has directed airlines to notify passengers of cancellations and schedule changes, arrange rebooking and refunds, and provide necessary assistance.

According to CAAB, 41 of the affected flights were direct services, while 59 were transit flights operated through other countries. Of the direct flights, 17 belonged to Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 to US-Bangla Airlines, seven to Saudia Airlines and seven to Riyadh Air. Among transit services, 22 were operated by IndiGo, 14 by Emirates, seven each by SalamAir and Qatar Airways, six by flydubai, two by Air India and one by EgyptAir.

Operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport have been suspended, while flight movements at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam have also been disrupted. Biman has suspended its Dhaka-Riyadh and Dhaka-Dammam flights until October 17.

Meanwhile, operations at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah remain normal. Flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which experienced disruptions earlier in the week, are also operating.

Following government instructions, Biman and other airlines are arranging alternative routes through Madinah and Jeddah for passengers originally scheduled to travel to Riyadh and Dammam. Airlines are also allowing free ticket changes, subject to seat availability.

A Biman official said passengers whose visas were nearing expiry were being prioritised for free rebooking. However, existing bookings on alternative routes have made it difficult to accommodate everyone promptly. In some cases, attempts to transport passengers quickly resulted in bookings exceeding available seats.

The official added that some passengers had been returned even after completing immigration formalities, with arrangements being made to send them to Saudi Arabia on subsequent flights.

Limited seats on alternative routes remain the biggest obstacle to rescheduling passengers, prolonging uncertainty for migrant workers travelling for employment. Passengers have been advised to contact their respective airlines before leaving for the airport to confirm flight status and obtain information about rebooking and alternative travel arrangements.