Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

Travel through Riyadh Airport may be very busy at times, and connecting flights delayed.

With that in mind, especially during Ramadan and other holidays, it may be better to use alternative routes.

Service, other than that, is usually excellent.

Ghost

[007]

[Stephen Jones]

I don't think it had anything to do with the color of the guy's skin.

The problem is that there are not enough connecting flights between Riyadh and Dammam. I went to Colombo through Riyadh both ways this summer. Going the only flight I could get to Riyadh was the day before, so I had a night and most of the day to spend in Riyadh (quite useful actually as I can no longer buy Sebago shoes (the only shoes I have worn for the last 15 years) in Eastern Province but there is a shop in Riyadh that sells them, so I was able to buy three pairs).

Coming back there was a hold-up while the luggage arrived and then another hold up because the Customs Inspection Machines broke down, and we ended up with all passengers waiting for one queue. As a result I arrived at the domestic terminal at 16:02 hours for a flight due to leave at 16:45. The clerk simply told me I was too late (check in closes 45 minutes before the flight ends) and made no effort to put me on another flight or anything. After I protested loudly that I had come from another international flight and the reason I didn't have a boarding card was that the desk at Colombo told me to get it at Riyadh, I was told to talk to somebody at the end of the counter. There the gentleman told me his shift should have finished an hour ago and he couldn't care less what happened to me and the other two gentlemen in the same plight. Luckily the shift duty manager arrived, took over from his colleague, and put me and my luggage on the plane. Near the end of the day at Ramadan does make people ill-tempered, so instead of complaining about the two rude clerks, I will praise the helpfulness and politeness of the duty manager who put me on the plane.

I suspect something similar happened to your colleague. He arrived after the cut off time for his plane, and had to wait six hours until there was a spare place on the plane, the others going ahead of him being those with valid bookings.

For coming back from Ramadan they offered me a flight at 01:00 the next morning, a wait of eleven hours (as there is no left luggage at Riyadh airport and they won't check your baggage through early this is a nuisance). When I altered the departure date and thus made a new booking the Riyadh-Dammam flight was now 07:00 the next day. I took a direct return flight three days earlier.

[Arab Strap]

Dear Meester Ghost,

Your �Professor�s� treatment is standard fare for Saudia. I have heard a lot worse and experienced similar myself.

Are you insinuating that due to his educational qualifications he has a right to a better class of cattle herding than us poor plebs?

Thing is there�s sod all you can do about it, it�s basically a case of shut up and put up as long as Saudia remain as a government monopoly and are not held accountable.

You work for a government institution, you take a government ticket, or you pay for it yourself.

Funnily enough once you are on the plane I�ve always found that the service is pretty good�����..it�s just all the preliminaries, starting from your first visit to the Saudia office, that are a total shambles.

Word to the wise Ghost, be careful what you write here, I�m not longer in KSA but �I know where you work, I know where you live�. Be in no doubt that your employers trawl this page looking for dissenters in the ranks and it wouldn�t to be difficult for you to be unmasked.

[johnslat]

Dear Arab Strap,

Perhaps it's changed, but when I worked for a government institution (the IPA), we had the choice of taking the Saudia ticket or getting half the price of the Saudia ticket.
I always did the latter, especially since the half-price for a Saudia ticket was always more than enough for a full fare on another (better) airline.

Regards,
John

P.S. I'm not implying that Saudia flights are all that bad, but the hassle beforehand certainly can be.

[scot47]

Like johnslat we too have the choice. A ticket on Saudia or the cash value of 50 percent of ticket. Saudia recently dropped their prices so for some taking the Saudia ticket is a better deal.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

Lucky us, when I wuz in the game as a military sub-contractor, we merely had to leave the country on Saudia, which meant either Manama or Dubai before we connected to another "friendlier" airline (not to insinuate that Saudia isn't friendly, I just imbibe). Now, everybody close their eyes and remember Dubai 10 year plus ago...ahhh!!!!

NCTBA

[sheikh radlinrol]

I was obliged to use Saudia. I didn't think it was any better or worse than other airlines except for the lack of drink. One thing did strike me, however, and that was the mess left by Saudi families when the plane landed.

[johnslat]

And, at least in my experience, there tended to be a larger number of, shall we say, rambunctious children on (at least my) Saudia flights.

Regards,
John

[Stephen Jones]

Saudi Airlines used to have official fares more than twice it actually charged, so that 50% of the fare actually paid or an airticket on another airline. Now the official fare is what they charge so 50% doesn't even buy you a one way ticket on another airline.

With regard to service it depends on the route. It has been getting steadily worse on the Kingdom-Sri Lanka flights and now you get neither a coke nor a newspaper during the whole flight. In fact you get more on the Riyadh-Dammam flight.

[trapezius]

To the Bangladeshi professor, I say:

[MixtecaMike]

I still haven't experienced the joys of international flights with Saudi Air, but their domestic services seem to be 1000 x better than SAMA, the worst excuse for an airline on the face of the planet.

Cancel flights, ask you if you want a refund, then tell you no refund, the flight will be rescheduled for 3 hours later, then won't take your bags, then give you a boarding pass, then flash the departure time off and on the boards, then eventually (3 hours after the 3 hour delay) suddenly rush you through some other gate to the other side of nowhere and put you on a flight with a MENU for even a glass of water...

If someone gives you a free ticket for SAMA it probably isn't worth accepting it!

[scot47]

Did our Anglo-Canadian poster ask the Bengali professor if he could openly identify him on a public forum like this ? I suspect not. Poor etiquette.

[ghost]

The earlier comments were not a criticism of Saudi, because the unfortunate incident could have happened anywhere. At Heathrow, for example, missed flights and other incidents are frequent.

Often, it is a matter of luck, and the people who shout the most and are assertive, are the ones who get on board. It is sad that the people who meekly stay in line and don't say anything are taken advantage of.

So far, for myself, and many others, Saudi has proved to be quite efficient in most respects. The Iqama was received today, and opening a bank account and getting a multi entry visa is on the cards in the next few days.

No complaints, and one has to take into consideration that many office personnel are working under duress during Ramadan - so any delays which may occur are understandable.

Ghost

[sheikh radlinrol]

I never had problems with Saudi Arabian Airlines but was shocked on two occasions by the preferential treatment given to ME. Once I went to King Khalid airport in the afternoon to check in for the night flight to London. The airport was quiet and I joined the only queue available for tourist class. I was standing behind 4 or 5 small brown men. A security guard spotted me (blue eyes, middle aged, European) and took me over to the first class desk where I checked in. No complaints from the little brown guys and I admit that I didn't protest. What a country!