CAAB Tells Airlines to Aid Passengers Hit by Saudi Flight Chaos

Bangladesh’s aviation regulator has ordered airlines to step up support for thousands of travelers stranded by widespread flight disruptions at Saudi airports, directing carriers to improve communication, protect passenger welfare and guide those at risk of visa problems.

New CAAB Directives After Saudi Airport Disruptions

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has issued a set of directives requiring airlines operating direct and transit services to Saudi Arabia to assist passengers affected by recent flight cancellations and delays across the kingdom. According to publicly available documents and local media coverage, the instructions were circulated on the night of 12 October 2026 and apply to both Bangladeshi and foreign carriers serving Saudi destinations.

The move follows a series of disruptions linked to security incidents in Saudi Arabia, including a recent attack that temporarily halted operations at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Published reports indicate that subsequent airspace and airport restrictions have forced carriers to cancel or reschedule services, leaving large numbers of South Asian migrant workers and Umrah-bound travelers in limbo.

CAAB’s letter states that airlines must immediately implement the directives for all flights to Saudi airports experiencing irregular operations. The regulator frames the measures as necessary to reduce hardship for passengers who have already purchased tickets and, in many cases, face strict visa validity and employment deadlines in the Gulf state.

Local coverage from Dhaka notes that Saudi Arabia remains one of the most important destinations in Bangladesh’s aviation market, with expatriate workers making up the bulk of travelers on routes to Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina. As a result, any prolonged disruption in Saudi air traffic quickly reverberates through Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and other Bangladeshi gateways.

Thousands of Bangladesh–Saudi Passengers Affected

Recent reporting from Dhaka indicates that more than 5,000 passengers on Bangladesh–Saudi routes have been affected by cancellations or suspensions in the past few days alone. One local outlet cited at least 51 disrupted flights, many of them Riyadh-bound services from Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.

The disruption has hit migrant workers particularly hard. Many passengers hold employment or work-visit visas with fixed expiry dates, and delays in reaching Saudi Arabia can jeopardise their contracts, recruitment costs and, in some cases, re-entry into the kingdom. Others are returning residents whose exit and re-entry permits are tied to specific travel windows.

Reports from Bangladesh’s civil aviation ministry state that 12 Dhaka–Riyadh flights were cancelled over a three-day period as authorities in Saudi Arabia reduced or temporarily halted operations at affected airports. To ease the backlog, the Bangladeshi government has started coordinating alternative routings via Dammam and Medina, allowing some Riyadh-bound passengers to travel through other Saudi gateways at no extra cost, subject to available seats.

Airlines and travel agents in Dhaka are also grappling with high seasonal demand. October is a busy month for overseas workers returning after visits home, and for religious travel to Saudi Arabia, amplifying the impact of each cancelled or delayed flight on already congested departure halls.

Airlines Ordered to Improve Communication and Care

Under the new CAAB order, airlines must provide timely and detailed information about cancellations, delays and schedule changes using all available communication channels. The directive specifies that passengers should be contacted via SMS, phone calls, email, websites and social media with updated departure times and any changes to routing.

Carriers have also been instructed to give clear guidance on rebooking and refund options. Published coverage indicates that airlines must explain revised travel dates, alternative flights and fare conditions, as well as any fees that may apply. Passengers are to be advised not to go to the airport before confirming their flight status, in an effort to reduce crowding at check-in and immigration counters.

For those already at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport when a disruption occurs, CAAB’s letter emphasises basic welfare. Airlines are told to arrange food, drinking water, refreshments and medical support where needed, and to pay special attention to elderly travelers, children, passengers with disabilities and others considered vulnerable.

The directive further requires each airline to appoint a dedicated focal point, supported by sufficient staff, to coordinate passenger assistance and liaise with airport management. This focal person is expected to oversee information sharing, manage last-minute changes to schedules and help ensure stranded travelers are not left without guidance inside the terminal.

Visa Guidance and Coordination With Saudi Authorities

One of the most sensitive aspects of the disruption involves visa and immigration issues for passengers stuck in Bangladesh or Saudi Arabia. CAAB’s instructions emphasise that no passenger should be left without support and that airlines have a role in steering travelers toward appropriate visa assistance.

According to reports on the directive, carriers are being asked to inform affected passengers about the importance of monitoring their visa validity and to advise them to contact the relevant Saudi authorities, the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka or consular services if they fear their paperwork may expire before they can travel. Airlines are also expected to help passengers obtain necessary documentation from their own side, such as ticket endorsements and written confirmation of cancellations, which may be required in visa or immigration discussions.

The Bangladeshi measures come as other countries respond to similar challenges for their citizens in Saudi Arabia. For example, recent public advisories from India’s embassy in the kingdom have highlighted temporary relaxations on overstay fines for visitors whose visas lapsed because flights were unavailable, and have pointed travelers toward consular helplines for case-specific guidance.

In a broader regional context, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has already instructed airlines at its airports to verify that passengers hold all required travel documents, including valid entry, exit and transit permissions, before boarding. Industry observers note that this focus on documentation adds another layer of complexity for travelers caught in sudden schedule changes or rerouting.

What Travelers Can Expect in the Coming Days

With Riyadh’s airport still recovering from recent attacks and wider security concerns affecting airspace across parts of the region, airlines serving Saudi Arabia continue to adjust timetables on short notice. Publicly available information from carriers and regulators suggests that more short-term cancellations and rebookings are likely as operations are restored gradually.

Bangladesh’s civil aviation ministry has said that passengers originally booked to Riyadh may be accommodated on flights to other Saudi cities such as Dammam and Medina, with onward domestic connections arranged where possible. These arrangements are expected to prioritise travelers facing imminent visa expiry or urgent employment commitments.

For now, passengers are being urged through local media and airline notices to stay in close contact with their carriers, regularly check flight status before leaving for the airport and keep all travel documents, including visas and employment papers, easily accessible. Travel industry representatives in Dhaka note that, while CAAB’s directive cannot eliminate disruption caused by events in Saudi Arabia, it sets clearer expectations for how airlines should treat stranded passengers during a period of uncertainty.

As airlines, regulators and Saudi authorities work to restore regular schedules, the experience of Bangladeshi travelers caught up in the current disruption is likely to inform future policies on passenger welfare and visa coordination in the region’s increasingly complex aviation environment.