Saudi Airlines refuses to sell tickets to fliers with Israeli passports

NY Post ^ | 7/15/13 | Defalco

[pabianice]

Something’s not kosher with this airline.

Saudi Arabian Airlines is discriminating against Israeli citizens by refusing to fly them from US airports — even when passengers are simply looking to transfer in Saudi Arabia to another country, The Post has learned.

The airline’s Web site asks for citizenship to book a ticket but has no option on a drop-down menu for anyone holding an Israeli passport. The oversight doesn’t appear accidental — the drop-down menu is so thorough it even has an option for Antarctica.

“No city in the world has closer ties to Israel than we do, and yet Israeli citizens are being discriminated against right here at JFK. It’s not only illegal; it’s an affront to who we are,” said Public Advocate, and mayoral candidate, Bill de Blasio, who conducted a recent telephone sting on the Mideast nation’s airline.

[pabianice]

I believe we give these Arabian bums $1.8B a year in military aid.

[0.E.O]

The real question to me is if I’m an Israeli then why the hell would I want to fly on Saudi Airlines to begin with? Or any other airline from a Mulim country?

[Jumper]

This has always been the case. As a diplomat we were all advised to never, never, never have an Israeli entry or exit stamp in a passport being used in an Arab country. If you had a stamp, the US Department of State would issue you another Passport or replace the one you have when traveling to these heathen sheikdoms.

[Vigilanteman]

No problem. Just deny Soddy Airlines landing rights at JFK and every other airport in the country.

[EEGator]

Exactly my first thought.

[headstamp 2]

Tell them they will lose every terminal they have in the USA if they do not change their policy within 24 hours.

[MplsSteve]

I have heard the same.

Anecdotally, I believe that I read somewhere that you could ask Israeli customs officials not to stamp your visa because you were going to (or may in the future) be travelling to a Muslim country.

I could easily picture a Syrian customs official denying entry to a normal US citizen who had an Israeli visa stamp on their passport - but seriously would/could that same customs official actually deny entry to someone who was a State Department diplomat?

[Cowgirl of Justice]

I have an Israeli stamp in my passport. I got it intentionally after having to spend time in Riyhad.

Inbred, goat humping, cave savages.

[allendale]

Never forget that 19 of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudis, that the fundamentalist Wahhabi that fund and inspire worldwide Islamic terrorism operate openly in Saudi Arabia and are funded by the Saudi government. For a moment imagine what the Russians or Chinese would have done if 19 Saudis hijacked four of their airliners, crashed them into the heart of their country, killed over three thousand of their citizens and caused $2 trillion in economic damages. Doubt they would have invaded Iraq.

[ken5050]

That is true..Israel’s been doing that for decades..

[onedoug]

Anyone would have to out of their minds to fly saudi.

[Principled]

Really, like you say, I don’t think too many Israelis would fly on them anyway. It’s not an issue just a propoganda tool.

No non-muzzie will fly thru the ME unless it is unavoidable. Dubai being the only exception and that is quite recent. It’s just not safe even if you’re Indian, Chinese, Australian, Indonesian, whatever. It’s just not safe.

Even in Dubai, you can’t kiss your wife, hold hands with her, hug her, etc. And she had better not be showing too much according to the Dubai cultural police at the airport.

Emirates is great but I won’t even fly through Dubai. No thanks my family is too important to save a few bucks.

[mountn man]

Lets be serious.
How many people from Israel are really going to want to go to Saudi Arabia?
Its not as if Saudi Arabia is flying New York to London or anywhere else. They fly JFK to Saudi Arabia, with stops in Saudi Arabia.

[M Kehoe]

This has always been the case.

That's what I thought.

5.56mm

[mountn man]

They only fly to JFK and IAD.

[idov]

We have l million Muslim citizens. Many go there to Mecca.

[katana]

The only thing that's surprising about this is that the idiot reporter who wrote the story is surprised. By refusing to allow Israeli passport holders to transit through the KSA the Saudi Airlines desk at JFK is just following orders and, IMHO, doing those people who would even think of trying such a stunt a major favor.

Other than Egypt I don't know of any Arab country that will permit someone in who has an Israeli Customs stamp in their passport, much less someone carrying an Israeli passport. The Israelis know this of course and customarily stamp a piece of paper to be carried loose within a visitor's passport and disposed of on departure. It has been this way for decades.

[thackney]

I believe that I read somewhere that you could ask Israeli customs officials not to stamp your visa because you were going to (or may in the future) be travelling to a Muslim country.

Two decades ago while working in Yemen, we were warned not to get an Israel stamp in our passport if we wanted to return to work.

We were also told by leaving a blank, loose piece of paper in your passport and explaining where you were working BEFORE handing over your passport, Israel customs would stamp the loose paper in place of your passport.

[mikey_hates_everything]

I’m not sure they would even consider an Israeli passport valid. An Israeli visa in a valid US passport may invalidate the US passport in Gulf states and other muslim countries. Either get a removable Israeli visa or another passport just for the Israeli visa.

[Menehune56]

Tell them they will lose every terminal they have in the USA if they do not change their policy within 24 hours.

I don't think there's much chance of that given the current occupant of the white house who bows low to the Saudi king.