Saudi airport restrictions disrupt 107 flights, 16,620 passengers linked to Bangladesh

Restrictions at Saudi Arabian airports have affected 107 flights involving Bangladesh and disrupted travel for 16,620 passengers, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

The Daily Star reported the latest CAAB figures, and The Financial Express, The New Nation and thetraveler.org carried the same totals. The Financial Express and The New Nation said the flights have been affected since Saturday. Thetraveler.org said CAAB data cover the period from Saturday, October 10, to Friday, October 16.

The Daily Star said the number of affected flights had risen by four since the previous day, while another 841 passengers had been affected.

What we know

• The Daily Star reported that of the 107 flights, 44 were direct services and 63 involved transit through other countries, with Biman Bangladesh Airlines accounting for 17 affected flights, US-Bangla Airlines 10, Saudia 10 and Riyadh Air 7.
• The Financial Express reported, citing CAAB data, that among transit services IndiGo accounted for 22 affected flights, Emirates 14, Qatar Airways nine, SalamAir seven, Flydubai six, Air India four and EgyptAir one; it named the fourth direct carrier as Riyadh Airways.
• The Daily Star reported that Biman Bangladesh Airlines extended the suspension of its Dhaka-Riyadh and Dhaka-Dammam flights until October 18, citing passenger safety, and arranged three additional flights on the Jeddah route.
• The Daily Star also reported that Air India extended the cancellation of its flights to Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah until October 20.
• The New Nation reported that US-Bangla Airlines suspended all Dhaka-Riyadh-Dhaka flights until 21 October following the closure of Riyadh airport amid repeated attacks.
• The New Nation reported that, according to media reports, Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group claimed responsibility for a 10 October attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi authorities, and that the death toll later rose to 13.

What we don't know yet

• None of the reports says when the restrictions at Saudi airports will end. They give only the end dates of individual airline suspensions: October 18 for Biman, October 20 for Air India and 21 October for US-Bangla.
• The New Nation cited media reports for the Houthi claim of responsibility, and thetraveler.org said international coverage attributes the strikes to Houthi forces. Neither cites an official confirmation.
• Thetraveler.org reported that passengers are waiting for updates on rescheduled flights, refunds or alternative routings, but none of the reports gives the airlines' terms.

Background

Qatar Standard reported earlier that the Houthis warned airlines, travellers and airport workers to avoid Saudi airports and airspace after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people and wounded more than 300. In an earlier report from September, Qatar Standard noted a report carried by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that Houthi forces had fired missiles at Riyadh's airport.