Bangladesh

Biman Extends Riyadh, Dammam Flight Suspension Until October 18

16 October 2026 12:10 PM

NEWS DESK

Passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia are taking alternative routes via Jeddah and Madinah as flights to Riyadh and Dammam remain suspended amid security concerns.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has extended the suspension of its flights to Riyadh and Dammam by another day, with services on both routes remaining suspended until October 18, according to its latest decision.

Flights to Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport have been suspended since last Saturday following deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthi armed group. The Saudi government subsequently announced the suspension of flights to Dammam from Tuesday.

The Yemeni group has warned that all airports in Saudi Arabia, except those serving the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, could be potential targets. Against this backdrop, direct flights from Dhaka to Madinah and Jeddah continue to operate normally.

In a press release issued on Thursday afternoon, Biman Bangladesh Airlines said it would announce further decisions regarding flights on the Riyadh and Dammam routes later. Private carrier US-Bangla Airlines had earlier announced the cancellation of its Riyadh-bound flights until October 21.

The airline said passengers with urgent travel needs could use Jeddah and Madinah international airports to travel to Saudi Arabia and return to Bangladesh.

To meet rising passenger demand, Biman has replaced the Boeing 787 with a Boeing 777 on its Madinah route, increasing seating capacity by 148 seats per flight. The airline has also arranged three additional flights to Jeddah.

Passengers seeking further information have been advised to contact Biman’s ticket sales offices.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said on Thursday afternoon that a total of 103 flights had been disrupted since last Saturday. The figure includes both direct flights from Dhaka and transit flights operating through Saudi Arabia.

Some of the flights were suspended, while others were cancelled, affecting 15,779 passengers, according to CAAB. No updated information had been released by the authority as of 8pm on Thursday, when this report was being prepared.

According to CAAB, 42 direct flights were disrupted. These included 17 flights operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, 10 by US-Bangla Airlines, eight by Saudia and seven by Riyadh Air.

A further 61 transit flights were disrupted. These comprised 22 flights operated by IndiGo, seven by SalamAir, one by EgyptAir, 14 by Emirates, eight by Qatar Airways, six by flydubai and three by Air India.

The disruptions have prompted passengers to seek alternative travel arrangements through Jeddah and Madinah, where direct services from Dhaka remain operational.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Saudi Arabia suspend