Saudi Airports Damaged After Houthi Attack: 134 Bangladesh Flights Disrupted, More Than 20,000 Passengers Suffer
After Saudi Arabia's airports were damaged in a Houthi attack, their operations have become limited. The direct impact has fallen on Bangladesh's air routes: a total of 134 flights of various airlines have been disrupted, and more than 20,000 passengers have fallen into suffering.
According to the latest information, among the disrupted flights, 61 are direct flights and 73 are transit flights. A total of 20,254 passengers are reported to have suffered because of this situation.
Among the direct flights are 22 of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 19 of Saudia Airlines, 10 of US-Bangla Airlines and 10 of Riyadh Air. Both the national flag carrier and the country's leading private airlines are on this list.
The picture of transit flights is even wider. Among them are 28 flights of IndiGo Airlines, 14 of Emirates Airlines, 9 of Qatar Airways, 8 of flydubai, 7 of SalamAir, 6 of Air India and 1 of EgyptAir.
Saudi Arabia is one of the main destinations for Bangladeshi expatriate workers and travellers. As a result, this disruption to flight operations is directly affecting workers, their families and other passengers. Unable to reach their destinations on schedule, many people's work and plans have fallen into uncertainty.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport authorities said flight operations are being disrupted because of the ongoing restrictions at Saudi Arabia's airports. Passengers of the concerned airlines are consequently facing suffering.
The airport authorities said the situation is being monitored to ensure the normal travel of affected passengers. Arrangements will be made to take passengers to their scheduled destinations once the situation becomes favourable, they added.
The authorities also expressed regret for this kind of unwanted situation. But the passengers' main question is when the cancelled and suspended flights will return to normal, and how their new travel will be arranged.
According to the latest information, this situation has arisen because operations at Saudi airports remain limited. How quickly the airports' operations return to normal will determine the normalisation of flight schedules.
Meanwhile, the same news has been published with importance by multiple outlets — the cancellation and suspension of 134 flights on the Dhaka-Saudi route has become one of the most discussed topics of the day. Considering the number of Saudi-bound passengers, the impact of this disruption is extensive.
For passengers, the most urgent step now is to stay in contact with their respective airlines and learn the latest status of their flights. Although the authorities say they are monitoring the situation, passengers must wait for the airlines' announcements regarding rescheduled schedules.
Altogether, the limited operations of Saudi airports after the Houthi attack have created major pressure on Bangladesh's air connectivity. With 134 flights disrupted and 20,254 passengers suffering, how quickly this situation passes is now everyone's focus.
