DHAKA : The closure of Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia has led to the cancellation of 61 flights, disrupting travel plans for 9,269 passengers, according to information from flight management sources at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The cancellations, recorded from Saturday through early Tuesday, include 22 direct flights and 39 transit flights, the sources said.
Among the cancelled direct services, nine were operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, two by US-Bangla Airlines, four by Saudia and seven by Riyadh Air.
Transit services operated by several international airlines were also affected. These included 16 flights by IndiGo, nine by Emirates, five each by Qatar Airways and flydubai, three by SalamAir and one by EgyptAir.
The affected transit flights were scheduled to carry passengers from Dhaka to Riyadh via connecting destinations. However, the airlines cancelled services from their respective countries and did not carry passengers from Dhaka.
Riyadh airport was closed following an attack attributed to Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Sunday, according to the report.
The airport has reportedly faced at least five attacks over the past week. Three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, were killed in an attack on Thursday. The Houthis also reportedly targeted airport infrastructure and a Saudia aircraft, with the pilot’s death believed to be linked to the incident.
For nearly two months, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led military coalition have been engaged in a series of attacks and retaliatory strikes. The Houthis have increasingly targeted Riyadh airport, the report said.
The rebels had previously warned that airlines operating through Saudi airspace would face serious consequences. A major attack on the airport in the Saudi capital was reported on Saturday, further disrupting air travel.
The continued disruption has left thousands of passengers facing uncertainty over their travel arrangements.
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