Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, has cancelled all of its Jedda, Riyad, and Dammam-bound flights from Monday as Saudi Arabia imposed a one-week flight restriction in response to the emergence of a powerful new strain of the novel coronavirus.
Deputy general manager (public relations) of Biman Tahera Khandaker confirmed the matter in a press release today.
According to the press release, seats will be allocated to passengers of cancelled flights on a priority basis subject to a seat vacancy after flights resume.
All the passengers will be informed about the schedule of the flights later.
Biman operates 21 flights weekly to four destinations - Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah.
Saudi Arabia on Sunday suspended all international commercial flights and cancelled entry through its land and seaports for at least a week after the reports from Britain and South Africa of new coronavirus strains that seem to spread more easily.
Besides, Bangladesh government has decided to suspend the flight operation of airlines that will carry passengers without Covid-19 negative certificates as part of its initiative to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman told UNB that they have asked all airlines to refrain from carrying Covid-19 patients but six coronavirus patients were found boarding the Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Saudi Arabia.
On June 16, flight operations on international routes from Bangladesh resumed after over two months of suspension.
On June 1, Civil Aviation authority permitted operation of all domestic flights maintaining social distancing and following health guidelines.
