Looks like it wasnt flame bait......
JEDDAH, 17 September — About 150 Saudi pilots are remaining idle at home without jobs as the American Embassy in Riyadh refused to issue them visas to complete their training courses in the United States, Al-Hayat reported.
Despite efforts by Saudi Arabian Airlines to solve the problem of these pilots by sending them to European countries for training, the Saudi pilots of MD-90 aircraft are required to visit the US for training on the aircraft. Training on MD-90 planes is not available in other countries.
“Most of the pilots are now sitting at home for about a year. They have to continue in the same situation for another year if the US does not change its regulations,” the paper reported quoting informed sources.
US authorities have blacklisted a number of Saudi pilots after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. “These pilots are not allowed to visit the US and would be questioned if they visited,” the sources said.
The sources told the Arabic daily that the US authorities had canceled the license of some pilots, despite their long hours of flying. There are also unconfirmed reports on American advice to fire 25 pilots from service.