A Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 777-300ER has diverted to Doha following an emergency on a scheduled flight from Dhaka to Dammam on Sunday 11 October 2026. Flight BG349, operating under the callsign BBC349, headed for Hamad International Airport in Doha instead of continuing to its planned destination in Saudi Arabia.
The reason for the emergency remains unclear at the time of writing. Neither Biman nor the authorities in Doha have confirmed what prompted the crew to change course.
What We Know About The Doha Diversion
Data from Flightradar24 shows that BG349 departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 13:50 UTC. That was 30 minutes behind its scheduled departure time of 13:20 UTC. The flight was due to land at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam at 19:00 UTC.
The aircraft never reached Dammam. Flightradar24 instead lists the flight as diverted to Doha, the capital of Qatar. Hamad International Airport sits a little over 200 kilometres to the south east of Dammam, across the Gulf of Bahrain.
The route normally takes a little over five hours. The same aircraft flew BG349 without incident on 5 October and again on 9 October, when it completed the journey in five hours and 17 minutes.
Why Doha Makes Sense As A Diversion Airport
The Aviation Hub cannot confirm whether a technical fault, a medical situation or another factor triggered the emergency. Crews weigh several factors when they choose where to land, and the nearest runway is only one of them.
Doha offers long runways, full emergency cover and round the clock medical support. Qatar Airways also bases a large Boeing 777 fleet in Doha, which means engineering expertise and spare parts for the type are close at hand.
The Boeing 777 At The Centre Of The Doha Diversion
The aircraft involved is S2-AFP, a Boeing 777-3E9ER. According to Planespotters.net, the airframe carries manufacturer serial number 40123 and line number 971. Boeing built the jet at Everett and it first flew on 17 October 2011.
Biman took delivery on 23 November 2011 and ferried the aircraft from Paine Field to Dhaka. It has flown for the Bangladeshi flag carrier ever since, and it will mark 15 years since its first flight in less than a week.
Two General Electric GE90-115B engines power S2-AFP. Biman configures the aircraft with 35 business class seats and 384 economy seats, giving a total capacity of 419 passengers. The airline has named the jet The Arun Alo.
What Happens Next In The Diversion Field…
Biman now needs to establish what went wrong and decide how to get its passengers from Doha to Dammam. If the cause proves to be technical, engineers will have to inspect and clear S2-AFP before it can return to service.
Passengers face a short onward journey once the airline confirms its plans, either on the same aircraft or on a replacement. Biman has not yet commented publicly on the diversion to Doha.
Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight.
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