Several Indian airlines have cancelled flight services to Bangladesh following the resignation of the nation’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina amid upheaval and violent protests.
Major Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara, temporarily suspended their services to the neighboring country during the period of regional turmoil.
Flights Suspended Amid Violent Protests
The decision to halt flights came in response to widespread protests and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The volatile situation on the ground posed serious safety concerns for both passengers and airline crew.
According to local news reports, Prime Minister Hasina fled the country in an army helicopter following news of protesters plans to march on the capital city of Dhaka.
This follows the weekend of violent unrest which has seen the imposition of a military curfew and numerous fatalities.
Both the premium carrier Air India and major low-cost carrier IndiGo released statements regarding the situation on their social media pages.
In a statement on Monday 5 August, Air India advised: “In view of the emerging situation in Bangladesh, we have cancelled the scheduled operation of our flights to and from Dhaka with immediate effect. We are continuously monitoring the situation…safety of our guests and crew remains our foremost priority”
Current Status Following the Bangladesh Protests…
Air India
In an updated statement posted earlier today, 6 August, the airline advised: “Air India will operate its evening flights AI237/238 on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi sector on 6 August 2024.”
IndiGo & Vistara
Both IndiGo and Vistara cancelled all services to Dhaka for Tuesday 6 August due to the Bangladesh protests. IndiGo’s last advisory on Monday read: “In view of the ongoing situation in Dhaka, all flights scheduled for tomorrow have unfortunately been cancelled.”
Vistara issued a similar statement, saying: “Due to the current political crisis in Bangladesh, Dhaka airport is temporarily non-operational. Customers are advised to check the flight status before travel.”
Bangladesh has experienced several military coups over past years, with the most recent being in 2007. The Indian government is yet to release a formal statement on the current unrest in the neighbouring country.
The situation remains fluid at the time of writing, and changes to flight operating procedures may still occur. Travellers should check for the latest status updates with their preferred airline.
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