Posted on 01/10/2006 12:40:42 AM PST by Stoat
Airline bans Bibles to avoid offending Muslims Carrier to Saudi Arabia also precluding crucifixes, teddy bears Posted: January 9, 2006 11:20 p.m. Eastern
A British airline banned its staff from taking Bibles and wearing crucifixes or St. Christopher medals on flights to Saudi Arabia to avoid offend the country's Muslims. British Midland International also has told female flight attendants they must walk two paces behind male colleagues and cover themselves from head to foot in a headscarf and robe known as an abaya, the Mirror newspaper of London reported. Teddy bears or other cuddly toys also are not allowed. Airline officials, who have sparked outrage, the paper says, explain the Islamic kingdom's strict laws enforced by religious police prohibit public practice of Christianity and figures of animals. BMI spokesman Phil Shepherd said: "In providing air services people want, demand and use, we have an obligation to respect the customs of the destination country." An airline employee who asked not to be named told the Mirror: "It's outrageous that we must respect their beliefs but they're not prepared to respect ours." The employee said his grandmother gave him a crucifix shortly before she died that he wears at all times. "It's got massive sentimental value and I don't see why I have to remove it," he said. The airline's staff handbook says: "Prior to disembarking the aircraft all female crew will be required to put on their company issued abaya. It will be issued with the headscarf which must be worn." The employees' union wants staff members to be able to opt out of the flights, but the airline says the only option is to transfer from overseas staff to domestic flights, which could mean a loss of about $30,000 a year in wages. About 40 staff members have filed complaints since the route began in September. Some of the male members who are homosexual have called in sick, because they are afraid of traveling to Saudi Arabia, where homosexual activity is punishable by flogging, jail or death. |
According to the full article, BMI is the only airline British airline flying into Saudi Arabia since British Airways pulled out.
I'd have the Feds put 100 mil into cold fusion research to see if it's for real. If it is I would develop it in a crash program to rid ourselves of this Islamic pestilence. If cold fusion pans out then Muslim oil will go to 2$/barrel be mostly good to make plastics, lubricating oil and asphalt
I'm sure Jews are already banned from flying on that carrier.
Jesus is Lord, Yo.
Even if you accept the fiction that homosexuality is a condition rather than a behavior, surely it is not too much to expect these guys to keep it zipped during an overnight layover if the penalty is death!
Will Muslim male passangers be handed out cattle prods in case the stews are attentive enough?
Well, the Feds (temporarily defined as Bush and the Republican Congress) have higher priorities than you do, apparently. They just spent $200 Million driving ice around in trucks after Katrina, then paying to store it instead of just dumping it off at the local fish market.
Big Stupid Government is just that. Don't trust anything, much less our society's survival, to people who could only get government jobs.
Does that apply to space shuttles too?
I bet the homos are excused, but if i , being a Christian, called in sick, they would not excuse it.
Would they really consider this "punishment"???
I won't be flying to Saudi Arabia, but I think I'll email them anyway.
**Teddy bears or other cuddly toys also are not allowed**
Sad for the kids.
Fine!
I'm banning everyone in my company from flying British Midland International because they offend me!
I wouldn't fly that airline...period.
Thanks for the ping!
These instructions are absolutely appalling!
Women should do this without special instructions.
Idiots.
see #76
If you make your way back over here, I'm going to kick your @ss. ;-)
I say ban all Muslims from flying on U.S. flights, and when they get mad about it tell them to go and talk to the people in the Middle East that made it happen. At least we will know where they stand after that instead of silently standing on the sidelines.
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