107 Dhaka-Saudi flights cancelled, leaving 16,620 passengers in limbo

A man looks at a screen displaying the flight schedule at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on October 12, 2026 as Saudi Arabia-bound flights remain cancelled a day after a Houthi strike at Riyadh’s international airport. Photo : Collected

A total of 107 direct and transit flights from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia have been cancelled due to operational restrictions at Saudi airports following deadly attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants, affecting 16,620 passengers so far.

Muhammad Kawsar Mahmud, Assistant Director of the Public Relations Department of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), disclosed the information in a statement sent to the media on Friday (16 October).

According to the statement, the cancelled flights include 44 direct and 63 transit flights.

Among the four airlines operating direct flights, Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled 17 flights, US-Bangla Airlines 10, Saudia 10 and Riyadh Airways seven.

Among transit flights, IndiGo cancelled 22 flights, Emirates 14, Qatar Airways nine, SalamAir seven, flydubai six, Air India four and EgyptAir one.

CAAB said the flights were disrupted due to operational restrictions at airports in Saudi Arabia, forcing passengers to change their travel schedules and causing significant inconvenience.