Biman’s Riyadh, Dammam flights suspended till Nov 4

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has extended the suspension of all flights on the Dhaka-Dammam and Dhaka-Riyadh routes until November 4 following attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia and continued restrictions on airport operations and airspace management.

In a press release issued on Sunday, the national flag carrier said the decision had been taken to ensure passenger safety. All flights from Dhaka to Dammam and Riyadh will remain suspended until November 4, Bangladesh time.

Passengers needing to travel to Saudi Arabia can use Jeddah and Madinah international airports as alternative gateways, the airline said.  To meet passenger demand, Biman has been operating two daily flights on the Dhaka-Jeddah route since October 16. The service will continue until November 4. Regular flights on the Dhaka-Madinah route are also being operated using Boeing 787 aircraft.

The airline said further decisions on flight operations and updated schedules would be announced in due course.

Meanwhile, restrictions on Saudi airport operations have disrupted a total of 146 direct and transit flights, affecting 22,231 passengers travelling from Bangladesh, according to the latest figures provided by aviation authorities.

Squadron Leader Md Sakib of the Airspace Management and Flight Management department of the Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh (CAAB) confirmed the disruption on Sunday.

According to the updated breakdown, 69 direct flights and 77 transit flights have been affected.

Among direct services, Biman Bangladesh Airlines accounted for 29 flights, US-Bangla Airlines 10, Saudia Airlines 19 and Riyadh Airways 11. Transit services affected include 30 flights operated by IndiGo, seven by SalamAir, one by EgyptAir, 14 by Emirates, nine by Qatar Airways, eight by flydubai and eight by Air India.

The disruption has left thousands of passengers unable to travel as scheduled, with airlines facing operational uncertainty amid restrictions at Saudi airports.

The flight disruptions follow a missile and drone attack reported at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on the night of October 10.

Two Bangladeshi expatriates�"Md Shahed Ahmed of Shahjahanpur in Bogura and Nasrullah Badarpuri of Nangalkot in Cumilla�"were killed in the incident, according to information provided in the initial reports. Another 27 Bangladeshis were injured, four of whom were reported to be in critical condition.

At least 309 people, including Bangladeshis, were reportedly injured in the attack.

The continuing restrictions have affected both direct flights to Saudi Arabia and connecting services through other regional airports, disrupting travel plans for thousands of Bangladeshi workers, expatriates and other passengers.

For passengers holding tickets for the suspended routes, Biman has advised that alternative travel arrangements can be made through Jeddah and Madinah, subject to available services and applicable travel requirements.

The airline said it would provide further updates on flight schedules as the situation develops.