Cyclone Sitrang forces local airlines to cancel 60 domestic flights

Dhaka: Three Bangladeshi airlines Biman, US-Bangla and NOVOAIR cancelled 60 flights on six domestic routes due to the squally weather following the strike of the cyclone Sitrang.

Tahera Khondoker, General Manager, Public Relations, Biman Bangladesh Airlines said, the national flag carrier was forced to cancel 10 flights—four on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar-Dhaka route and six flights on Dhaka-Chattogram-Dhaka route scheduled for October 24 and 25.

Apart from the cancellation, Biman rescheduled four flights—one each on Sharjah, Aub Dhabi, Dubai and Muscat route due to Sitrang, Tahera added.

Kamrul Islam, General Manager, Public Relations of US-Bangla Airlines said, the airlines cancelled 28 flights scheduled between October 24 to 12:00 pm October 25 on Cox's Bazar, Chattogram and Barishal route.

Reports said, NOVOAIR cancelled 22 flights scheduled to fly on Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Saidpur, Sylhet and Rajshahi routes.

Earlier, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh closed down three airports in Bangladesh's coastal belt--Chattogram, Cox's Bazar and Barishal-- due to inclement weather induced by cyclone Sitrang.

CAAB decided to shut down all operation of these three airports from 3:00 pm October 24 to 12:00 pm October 25, according to a press release.

After 12:00 pm on October 25, CAAB has withdrawn the closure and flight operations have resumed at these three airports since then.