A total of 141 flights from Dhaka to Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Dammam were cancelled between October 10 and Friday night, affecting 21,933 passengers, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

Of the cancelled flights, 66 were direct flights and 75 were transit flights, CAAB sources said on Friday.

Among the direct flights, 27 were operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 by US-Bangla Airlines, 19 by Saudia and 10 by Riyadh Air.

The cancelled transit flights included 29 operated by IndiGo, 14 by Emirates, nine by Qatar Airways, eight by flydubai, seven by SalamAir, seven by Air India and one by EgyptAir.

These transit flights were scheduled to carry passengers from Dhaka to Riyadh and Dammam via other destinations. However, the airlines were unable to transport passengers from Dhaka after the flights were cancelled in their respective countries.

Earlier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines suspended its flights to Riyadh and Dammam until October 17 following attacks by Yemen’s Houthi armed group. Riyadh airport was subsequently closed following the attack.

Sun News/ rabbi