Egyptian passengers stage another sit-in on Saudi Airlines aircraft

Ahram Online, Friday 2 Sep 2011

Protest is the second in 48 hours against the treatment received by Egyptians in Jeddah Airport

Another sit-in was staged by Egyptian passengers on a Saudi Airlines’ aircraft upon its arrival at Cairo Airport. The sit-in was staged by 17 of the Egyptian pilgrims returning from Jeddah, protesting about the treatment they received in the Saudi airport. The protest lasted for 50 minutes before Cairo Airport security persuaded them to leave the aircraft. The protestors’ complaints were recorded by security and a case was filed against the airline.

 

This is the second sit-in to be staged inside a Saudi aircraft in 48 hours. A similar protest was staged by 37 Egyptians only two days earlier and lasted for two hours.

 

The passengers' complaints relate to what they describe as the inhumane treatment they received while waiting to make their journey home from Jeddah. Their flight had been delayed for hours, during which they were forced to wait among thousands in a room meant to house no more than 200 people. Some Egyptians claimed that the treatment was related to Saudi Arabia’s rejection of Egypt’s January 25 revolution.

 

Meanwhile, Egypt’s ambassador in Jeddah denied that what the passengers faced in Saudi Arabia’s airport was limited to Egyptians alone. He added that traffic during the pilgrimage season creates chaos every year and affects pilgrims coming from all over the world. He refuted rumours that the treatment received by Egyptians in Saudi Arabia was related to a rejection of the January 25 Revolution. He added that the people of Saudi Arabia hold a lot of respect for Egyptians and their revolution. 

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