Biman Bangladesh Airlines Announces Riyadh Flight Resumption As Dammam Services Resume After Saudi Restrictions

✈ Biman Bangladesh Airlines has announced the resumption of a Riyadh flight and resumed services to Dammam after Saudi airport restrictions disrupted travel for 20,254 passengers across 134 flights. The flight to Riyadh is scheduled to depart Dhaka at 1:25am Bangladesh time, the national flag carrier said in a press release today. Biman said it would decide on operating additional Riyadh flights after reviewing the overall situation.

📊 The airline resumed flights to Dammam today, with daily departures from Dhaka scheduled for 8:00am until October 26. The flights will be operated using Boeing 777 aircraft. Biman flight BG350 departed Dammam for Dhaka today and was still airborne at the time of reporting, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. For Jeddah, Biman will operate two flights from Dhaka on October 22, followed by one daily flight at 7:20pm on October 23, 24 and 25.

🛃 Saudi airport restrictions impact

Restrictions at Saudi Arabian airports have affected 134 flights involving Bangladesh, disrupting travel for 20,254 passengers, according to the latest figures from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). Of the affected flights, 61 were direct services and 73 involved transit through other countries.

Among direct operators, Biman accounted for 22 affected flights, Saudia 19, US-Bangla Airlines 10 and Riyadh Air 10. Among transit operators, IndiGo recorded 28 affected flights, Emirates 14, Qatar Airways nine, flydubai eight, SalamAir seven, Air India six and EgyptAir one. The breadth of airlines affected underscores the systemic nature of the disruption to Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia aviation routes.

🏛 Riyadh airport restrictions continue

Meanwhile, flight operations at Riyadh''s King Khalid International Airport remain restricted despite its reopening on October 18. Under a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) effective from October 17, airlines must obtain prior permission from Saudi Arabia''s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) before operating flights to or from the airport. This means that while the airport is technically open, airlines cannot simply resume normal operations — they need explicit approval for each flight.

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted drones over the Madina region and the kingdom''s Eastern Province, Reuters reported today. Yemen''s Houthi movement denied launching the drones or carrying out military operations against Saudi Arabia. The security situation remains fluid, with potential for further restrictions if the conflict escalates.

👥 Impact on Bangladeshi expatriates

The disruption to Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia aviation routes has significant implications for the estimated 2-3 million Bangladeshi expatriates living and working in Saudi Arabia. Many depend on regular air travel for family visits, business trips, and religious pilgrimage (hajj and umrah). The flight suspensions and restrictions have created significant inconvenience for these passengers — including delayed travel plans, additional accommodation costs, and uncertainty about when they will be able to reach their destinations.

For Biman, the Saudi Arabia route is one of its most important international markets. The airline''s ability to resume flights to Riyadh and Dammam — even on a limited basis — provides some relief to affected passengers and helps restore the airline''s revenue from this critical route. However, the ongoing restrictions at Riyadh airport and the broader security situation in the region mean that full normalisation of Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia aviation services may still be some way off.

🌏 Biman''s broader fleet expansion context

The resumption of Saudi Arabia flights comes as Biman is in the midst of a major fleet expansion programme. The airline recently signed agreements to acquire 10 Airbus aircraft (four A350-900s and six A321neos) and has supplementary agreements with Boeing for 11 additional jets worth $2.7 billion. The expanded fleet — which will take Biman''s planned new-aircraft pipeline to 35 planes — is designed to address the gap between passenger demand and Biman''s capacity.

The fleet expansion will give Biman greater flexibility in managing route disruptions like the Saudi airport restrictions. With more aircraft available, the airline can reallocate capacity to alternative routes when specific destinations are affected by security concerns or other disruptions. This operational flexibility is increasingly important in an era of geopolitical uncertainty and regional conflicts.

🤝 Looking ahead

Flights to Madina have been operating as usual since October 18 using Boeing 787 aircraft. The airline said the current schedule would remain unchanged until further notice. Biman said passengers would be informed of any further changes to flight schedules and advised them to contact its sales offices for booking and travel information.

For Bangladesh''s aviation sector, the Saudi airport restrictions are a reminder of the vulnerability of international aviation routes to geopolitical events. The country''s heavy reliance on Middle Eastern routes — both for expatriate worker traffic and religious pilgrimage — means that any disruption to the region has significant implications for Bangladesh''s aviation industry and the broader economy. The coming weeks will show whether the situation stabilises enough for full normalisation of Bangladesh-Saudi Arabia aviation services.