The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Saudi Arabia-bound passengers seek alternative routes amid 100 flight disruptions, rising costs
Operational restrictions at Saudi Arabian airports have disrupted 100 flights operating between Bangladesh and other destinations through direct and transit routes. Some flights were cancelled while others were suspended. A total of 15,393 passengers have been affected. Of the disrupted flights, 41 were direct flights and 59 were transit flights. According to a CAAB press release issued on Wednesday evening, the affected direct flights included 17 operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 by US-Bangla Airlines, seven by Saudia and seven by Riyadh Air.
Saudi Arabia-bound passengers in Dhaka faced widespread disruption as operations to Riyadh and Dammam were halted or altered, leaving travelers to seek alternative routes.
Anwar Hossain of Bogura had been booked on a 3:55pm IndiGo departure from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Riyadh, but the flight was cancelled. He spent Tuesday night at the airport and later moved to a relative’s home, while he attempted to contact the issuing agency and his employer without success.
Zakir Hossain, travelling on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines service, also saw his Riyadh-bound flight cancelled. He paid an additional Tk 16,000 for a Medina-bound option that he chose for Wednesday night, after being told the original route had changed.
A group of Umrah pilgrims, including Atiar Rahman and Sujauddin, were prevented from boarding an Air Arabia flight to the Saudi pilgrimage site. Their 40-person group could not travel as planned and expected to incur extra hotel costs as a result.
CAAB reported that operational disruptions at Saudi airports affected 100 flights involving direct and transit routes between Bangladesh and various destinations, impacting 15,393 passengers. The disruptions followed an attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, prompting airline route cancellations and suspensions.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled all Dhaka–Riyadh–Dhaka flights through 17 October, with the carrier focusing on Jeddah and Medina services during that period. US-Bangla Airlines extended cancellations on the Dhaka–Riyadh–Dhaka route through 21 October, complicating options for travelers seeking Saudi-bound travel.