Saudi airport restrictions affected 134 flights involving Bangladesh, 20,254 passengers
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to operate a flight to Riyadh early on October 26 as conditions improve following attacks on Saudi airports.
The flight is scheduled to depart Dhaka at 1:25am Bangladesh time, the national flag carrier said in a press release today.
Biman said it would decide on operating additional Riyadh flights after reviewing the overall situation.
Meanwhile, the airline resumed flights to Dammam today, with daily departures from Dhaka scheduled for 8:00am until October 26. The flights will be operated using Boeing 777 aircraft.
Biman flight BG350 departed Dammam for Dhaka today and was still airborne at the time of reporting, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
For Jeddah, Biman will operate two flights from Dhaka on October 22, followed by one daily flight at 7:20pm on October 23, 24 and 25.
Flights to Madina have been operating as usual since October 18 using Boeing 787 aircraft. The airline said the current schedule would remain unchanged until further notice.
Biman said passengers would be informed of any further changes to flight schedules and advised them to contact its sales offices for booking and travel information.
Restrictions at Saudi Arabian airports have affected 134 flights involving Bangladesh, disrupting travel for 20,254 passengers, according to the latest figures from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).
Of the affected flights, 61 were direct services and 73 involved transit through other countries.
Among direct operators, Biman accounted for 22 affected flights, Saudia 19, US-Bangla Airlines 10 and Riyadh Air 10.
Among transit operators, IndiGo recorded 28 affected flights, Emirates 14, Qatar Airways nine, flydubai eight, SalamAir seven, Air India six and EgyptAir one.
Meanwhile, flight operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport remain restricted despite its reopening on October 18.
Under a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) effective from October 17, airlines must obtain prior permission from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) before operating flights to or from the airport.
The Saudi-led coalition said intercepted drones over the Madina region and the kingdom’s Eastern Province, Reuters reported today.
Yemen’s Houthi movement denied launching the drones or carrying out military operations against Saudi Arabia.
Source: The Daily Star
Leave a Reply