391 Middle East flights cancelled at Dhaka airport in 12 days

Due to security risks amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, several countries—including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan—closed their airspace on February 28. The decision has significantly disrupted international flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

As a result, 24 flights were cancelled on Wednesday (March 11) alone.

According to sources at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), flight cancellations have continued since the airspace closure began. The number of cancelled flights by date is as follows:

• February 28: 23 flights

• March 1: 40 flights

• March 2: 46 flights

• March 3: 39 flights

• March 4: 28 flights

• March 5: 36 flights

• March 6: 34 flights

• March 7: 28 flights

• March 8: 28 flights

• March 9: 33 flights

• March 10: 32 flights

With Wednesday’s cancellations, the total number of cancelled flights has reached 391 in the past 12 days.

Flights cancelled on March 11 include:

• Kuwait Airways: 2

• Air Arabia (Sharjah): 4

• Gulf Air (Bahrain): 2

• Qatar Airways: 4

• Emirates: 4

• Jazeera Airways (Kuwait): 4

• Flydubai: 4

Airport authorities have advised passengers traveling to Middle Eastern destinations to check with airlines for updated schedules before heading to the airport.

The disruptions began after several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace following escalating regional tensions, affecting airlines across the region.