Saudi Arabia attacks force airlines to cancel 51 flights from Bangladesh

Flights from Dhaka to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah are being cancelled following Houthi attacks on airports across Saudi Arabia.

Airlines have announced the cancellation of 51 flights on the three routes from Saturday through Oct 15.

An official responsible for security and flight management at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airpor said on Monday afternoon that 5,418 passengers had been stranded in Bangladesh by the cancellations.

Further cancellations would be announced as airlines reported them.

Four Biman Bangladesh Airlines flights, two operated by US-Bangla Airlines, and three each by Riyadh Air and Saudia were among the cancelled direct services.

Another 39 transit flights were cancelled, including 16 by IndiGo, three by SalamAir, one by EgyptAir, nine by Emirates, five by Qatar Airways and five by flydubai.

A missile exploded over Terminal 3 of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday, killing 13 people, including two Bangladeshis, and injuring 308.

The other dead included four Saudis and one citizen each from India, the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt.

The Houthis targeted the airport again on Sunday, killing a Pakistani expatriate and injuring 11 people.

The group said it used ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. Its military spokesperson, Brig Gen Yahya Saree, also claimed attacks on oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia and Dammam airport.

Saree warned that all Saudi airports except those in the holy cities of Makkah and Medina could be targets.