Saudi Airlines was only performing a service for its passengers
Reader comment on item: Saudi Arabian Airlines Cleans Up Its Act

Submitted by William A. Wheatley (United States), Sep 4, 2007 at 13:41

Dear Mr. Pipes:

I have flown into and out of Saudi Arabia a number of times on a number of different air carriers. The information provided in the original Saudi Airlines notice was good and helpful information, in that it informed travellers what Saudi policy is, and helped them to stay out of trouble with the immigration and customs officials in Saudi Arabia when entering the kingdom. Deleting the information, as you point out, does not change Saudi policy. All the airlines flying into and out of Saudi Arabia, in my experience, provide substantially the same information to passengers boarding flights to Saudi Arabia. They also provide information on customs regulations of other countries for their passengers. They just don't post it on their web sites. If you visit the State Department web site, it will have the same information regarding Saudi policy for travellers contemplating a trip to Saudi Arabia.

Please note that I am not defending Saudi policy; I certainly do not approve of it. I believe firmly in freedom of religion and believe that Saudi policy is oppressive. I am only defending airlines that provide such useful information to their passengers.

--William A. Wheatley

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Daniel Pipes replies:

Agreed; my problem is not with the notification but with the policy.