Threat against aviation interests in Saudi

[teifiboy]

Breaking news on the BBC


"Britain has revised its travel advice for Saudi Arabia to highlight "credible" reports of planned attacks, including against Westerners.
A notice on the Foreign Office website warns of the continuing "high threat" of terrorism, with "aviation interests" remaining a possible target.

Non-essential staff and dependants at UK missions in the country have been told to leave if they wish, it adds. "


A good time for a British airline to start operations to Riyadh?

[teifiboy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4131354.stm

[The Royal Family]

Wait there's more :eek:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4130994.stm

[Fuzzy112]

Thats OK - on the 1st September bmi will be operating to Saudi! Great time to start a new route.

[Max Angle]

A good time for a British airline to start operations to Riyadh? Yeah, great isn't it. Many cabin and flight crew are very unhappy about it and some will refuse to go if rostered.

[Freeway]

As for the crew opting out of the Riyhad route, well who blames them. BMI, I think are crazy, starting this route with regard to the latest Foreign Office intelligence update. I have upmost sympathy with all of the long suffering BMI crews.

[bingomakintosh]

Both the US and Aussie govenments have issued similar statements.

One has to ask: is this at all related to King Fahd's death? Or are they (the govenments) trying to cover their as#'$ if something does happen. The US is under continual Orange + alert.

Just a thought.

B

[mutt]

Can anyone please tell me how this "warning" differs from the numerous warnings issued over the last 3 years?

Mutt.

[teifiboy]

Those brave people who CHOSE to live and work in Saudi do so because quite often the rewards are good and they are willing to live with the dangers. Unfortunately for the likes of bmi crews, they do not have the choice and in the majority of cases will be travelling there against their will.

There is "credible" evidence of attacks with the emphasis on "westerners", "western compounds" and "avaition interests".

[Red 69]

I think it was Sir Richard who stated; "Look after your staff and the business will effectively take care of itself"

Now if you apply that to bmi you'll maybe understand why the company is in such a mess. They just don't give a s**t about their staff.

NT stated he wouldn't send his staff anywhere he wouldn't go to himself. Yes, he's been to Saudi, before this current threat and I believe only once. I bet he wouldn't be willing to go on a daily basis as he's asking the crews to do now!

Come on Nige, why not post a reply and explain why you think it's ok but everyone else thinks it's not?

[I.C.Nosignal]

I think you will find that Sir M.B. DOES care about his staff but I would agree that some of his Board of Directors could be more "people orientated" than they currently appear to be, it would help if the board gave the crew and other staff who will be expected to travel to Saudi some reassurances as to why they, ("The Company"), feel that in light of the latest security advice given by the Foriegn Ofice it is still safe for employees to travel on duty to Saudi Arabia. Sadly yet again the postings seem to be turning into a bmi bashing exercise by a few serving or ex employees with a well worn agenda, come on people lets keep the discussion on track and on subject and leave out the petty sniping, you never know if we all did that , there might even be some meaningful discussion to be had about the issues that we are about to face.

[teifiboy]

I.C.Nosignal

I agree. There are too many bmi bashers out there but personally think in this instance that there are a fair few crew out there who have genuine concerns about operating into Riyadh and with justification. Its not bmi bashing. Its a commonly held view by people within and outside bmi

[pilotbear]

Saskatoon,
as usual the nannies are being nannied from above, this is no longer a free speech website..anyone fancy relocating to China or North Korea or zimbabwe...etc:yuk:

The post was self deleted by the writer. Regards, PPRuNe Towers

[phoenix son]

Folks,

I'll dive in here...I work for an airline (not bmi), I have friends that work for bmi, and I personally feel that with the current threat level, it is a pretty foolish thing to be starting a new route to RUH.(Particularly on an aircraft with a Union Flag on the tail)

I'm not an "expert", just airing what seems to be a pretty widely-held opinion.

What's the official line on crews that refuse to operate? Anyone know?

rgds

PHX

[Freeway]

Phoenix - Agree 100% with what you are saying.
As I have said earlier, it is just crazy starting this route at this time.

[The Royal Family]

phoenix son
The offical line from the Acting General Manager
:= Is that you do it or you reintergrate back to shorthaul. :mad:

[teifiboy]

is that the outcome of today's visit by NT?