RIYADH, 27 March 2003 — Two US companies that help maintain the Saudi Arabian Airlines fleet have closed their offices indefinitely and advised foreign staff to leave the Kingdom because of the war in Iraq, an airline official said yesterday.
Honeywell International and Boeing Co. had given their non-Saudi employees return visas before the war began and asked them to leave, Mansour Al-Kurdi, technical adviser to Saudi Arabian Airlines, told reporters.
Maintenance of the Saudi fleet has been unaffected, Al-Kurdi said, because they remain in daily telephone and fax contact with the companies.
Al-Watan newspaper reported yesterday that Rolls Royce kept its offices and personnel in the Kingdom. The aircraft engine manufacturer also provides technical support to the Saudia fleet.
Before the war, the US State Department ordered family members of US government employees and all nonessential personnel to immediately depart Israel, Syria and Kuwait.
Other countries where authorized departure has been allowed are Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
