26 more flights cancelled Saturday as Middle East airspace restrictions persist

Passenger suffering continued at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday (14 March) as 26 more international flights were cancelled due to the ongoing security situation in the Middle East that has led several countries to close their airspace.

Airport sources said the cancellations followed earlier suspensions triggered by security concerns in the region, with Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan restricting the use of their airspace since 28 February.

Among the flights cancelled on Saturday were services operated by Kuwait Airways (2 flights), Air Arabia (2 flights to Sharjah), Gulf Air (4 flights to Bahrain), Qatar Airways (4 flights), Emirates (4 flights), Jazeera Airways (4 flights), flydubai (4 flights), and US-Bangla Airlines (2 flights).

With the latest cancellations, the total number of flights cancelled since February 28 has reached 477, according to airport data.

Passengers scheduled to travel to Middle Eastern destinations – particularly migrant workers and transit travellers – have been facing severe disruptions, with many stranded at the airport or forced to reschedule their journeys. Airlines have been trying to rebook affected passengers on later flights, but the continuing airspace restrictions have made normal operations difficult.

Daily cancellations have fluctuated over the past two weeks. 

Airport officials said flight operations will return to normal only after airspace restrictions in the Middle East are lifted. 

Meanwhile, airlines have advised passengers to check flight status before travelling to the airport.