Biman suspends Riyadh flights sine die

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended all flights to Riyadh indefinitely amid security concerns following Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, while uncertainty remains over when services on the route will resume.

However, the national flag carrier said flights to Dammam could resume on October 21, subject to a review of the security situation and the necessary approvals.

In a statement issued on Saturday afternoon, Biman said a decision on resuming flights would be taken after receiving further instructions from Riyadh airport authorities. Passengers would be informed accordingly once a decision is made.

Flights to Jeddah and Madinah remain operational, allowing passengers to travel to Saudi Arabia through the two international airports.

CAAB spokesperson Kawser Mahmud said flight cancellations and suspensions could continue unless operations at Saudi airports returned to normal. 

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has directed airlines to notify passengers of disruptions, arrange rebooking or refunds and assist affected travellers.

So far, 103 flights have been suspended, affecting 15,779 passengers.