Massive Aviation Disruption On Saudi Corridors: 86 Flights Canceled
Over 13K Passengers Stranded In Dhaka
- CAAB confirms suspension of thirty-six direct and fifty transit commercial flights
- Biman Bangladesh, US-Bangla, and IndiGo among primary affected scheduled carriers
- Civil aviation regulator advises travelers to track updates before heading to airport terminals
Mounting operational restrictions and airspace congestion across Saudi airports have triggered extensive flight disruptions on Saudi-bound corridors originating from Dhaka. In an official bulletin issued on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) confirmed that a cumulative total of 86 direct and connecting flights have been canceled or suspended. The abrupt airspace operational bottleneck has left 13,490 migrant workers and general outbound passengers stranded in severe uncertainty.
According to operational data released by CAAB, the 86 grounded services comprise 36 direct scheduled departures and 50 regional connecting flights. Among the direct point-to-point operations, national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines recorded 14 cancellations, private carrier US-Bangla Airlines logged 10, Riyadh Airways saw 7, and Saudia Airlines suspended 5 flights.
The disruption severely impacted international airlines routing Saudi-bound transit traffic through intermediate regional hubs. The 50 interrupted connecting services include 22 flights operated by IndiGo Airlines, 11 by Emirates, 6 by Qatar Airways, 6 by Flydubai, 4 by Oman's SalamAir, and 1 by EgyptAir.
Following the sudden regulatory mandates and operational suspensions implemented by Saudi civil aviation authorities, thousands of outbound travelers arriving from remote districts have been caught in procedural limbo at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. With numerous migrant workers facing imminent visa and leave expirations, concerns surrounding job security have escalated. Regulators have instructed affected passengers to avoid overcrowding airport premises and maintain continuous coordination with their respective ticketing airlines for flight rescheduling and itinerary revisions until normalcy is restored, official sources confirmed.
//DBTech/BTN/SMP/OEM//
