Hundreds of Middle East-bound passengers stranded and suffered immensely at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as 74 flights were cancelled from the HSIA between February 28 and March 2 following the closure of regional airspace after US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
A total of 28 flights were cancelled on February 28, 40 were cancelled on March 1 and 11 were cancelled on March 2, according to the HSIA executive director Raghib Samad, also Bangladesh Air Force Group Captain.
Of the 28 cancelled flights on February 28, one was of Emirates Airlines, one was of Gulf Airlines, one was of Fly Dubai, three were of Air Arabia, six were of US Bangla Airlines, and 11 were of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Of the 40 flights cancelled on March 1, two were of Jazeera Airways, five were of Emirates Airlines, two were of Gulf Air, four were of Fly Dubai, two were of Qatar Airways, two were of Salam Air, eight were of Air Arabia, two were of Kuwait Airways, four were of US Bangla Airlines and nine were of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Of the 11 cancelled flights on March 2, four are of Qatar Airways, five are of Emirates Airlines and two are of Gulf Air.
On Saturday, HSIA issued three-point directives to all airlines saying all cancelled or delayed flight passengers would be informed of the situations through SMSs, emails and call centres to avoid unnecessary sufferings but airlines largely ignored such directives causing immense suffering to passengers till Sunday.
According to other directives, all airlines officials have to stay at the airport to provide necessary information and directives to all passengers, and clear and coordinated information have to be provided to passengers.
Many middle-east bound passengers alleged that airlines authorities informed them about the flight cancellation at the eleventh hour after reaching the airport and many could not get specific information by the airlines concerned.
‘My flight to Doha in Qatar was scheduled for 5:15pm on Sunday at Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The airlines informed me through a phone call at about 1:30pm when I already reached Dhaka airport from Lakshmipur,’ Anwar Hossain said while talking to New Age at HSIA.
He said that it was a great trouble for him now and if they informed earlier, he would not have come to Dhaka.
‘I have given my phone number and email address but they did not inform me,’ Anwar said in a tensed voice.
HSIA executive director Raghib Samad told New Age that he also heard about the complaint against Biman Bangladesh Airlines call centres that people could not reach them or delay in informing people.
‘There are many challenges as well. Many Middle East-bound passengers bought tickets via travel agencies where one person bought tickets for five people. Airlines are also facing challenges to inform four other people,’ Raghib explained.
