A total of 126 flights have been cancelled due to the suspension of air travel on several routes to Saudi Arabia, leaving 19,377 passengers stranded in Dhaka. A major portion of the stranded travellers are Bangladeshi expatriates living in Saudi Arabia.
Of the cancelled flights, 59 were direct flights and 67 were transit flights. Among direct carriers, Biman Bangladesh has cancelled 20 flights so far, US-Bangla Airlines 10 flights, Saudia Airlines 19 flights, and Riyadh Airways 10 flights.
IndiGo tops the list of airlines with cancelled transit flights, having called off 24 flights. Additionally, SalamAir cancelled 7 flights, Emirates 14 flights, Qatar Airways 9 flights, EgyptAir 1 flight, flydubai 6 flights, and Air India 6 flights.
The cancellations follow a decision by Saudi authorities to suspend operations at Riyadh and Dammam airports after a Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on 10 October.
