Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended all flights from Dhaka to Riyadh and Dammam until October 18 amid continuing attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia, while arranging additional capacity on alternative routes to accommodate affected passengers.
The national flag carrier announced the decision today, citing passenger safety concerns arising from the ongoing security situation at Saudi airports, said a Biman press release.
The suspension will remain effective until October 18, according to Bangladesh local time and date.
Biman said further decisions regarding the suspended services and revised flight schedules would be announced in due course, depending on the evolving situation.
To minimise passenger inconvenience, the airline has advised travellers requiring urgent journeys to Saudi Arabia or returning to Bangladesh to consider alternative travel arrangements through Jeddah and Madinah
international airports.
In response to growing passenger demand, Biman has deployed larger Boeing 777 aircraft on its Madinah route, replacing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner currently used for the service.
The aircraft substitution has increased passenger capacity by 148 seats per flight, enabling the airline to accommodate more travellers affected by the suspension of Riyadh and Dammam services.
Additionally, Biman has arranged three extra flights on the Jeddah route to provide further travel options for stranded and affected passengers.
The airline said the additional services and increased seating capacity were intended to ease mounting passenger pressure and facilitate travel between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia during the ongoing disruption.
The suspension comes amid repeated attacks targeting Saudi airports, which have seriously disrupted flight operations and caused widespread uncertainty among international travellers, including Bangladeshi expatriate workers.
Biman said passenger safety remained its highest priority and that flight operations to the affected destinations would be reviewed in light of the security situation.
Passengers holding tickets for Riyadh and Dammam services have been requested to contact their nearest Biman Bangladesh Airlines sales centre for information on ticketing, alternative travel arrangements and updated flight schedules.
The airline said further updates would be communicated as necessary.