RIYADH, 17 February 2003 — With the exodus of families to other Saudi cities and foreign countries still continuing even after the Haj and Eid holidays, Riyadh looks almost like a ghost town.
Saudi and expatriate families keep taking flights out because many of the educational institutions, especially government-run schools, are still closed for holidays.
The result is the airport is packed daily with passengers that outnumber the seats available on scheduled flights. At this time of the year Riyadh airport is in a state of chaos.
Saudi nationals and expatriates, especially workers from the Indian subcontinent and the Far East, fill the domestic terminal building to the brim. People are seen rushing around on the concourse, women with their children and crying babies. They fill the family waiting area where they sit or take a nap on the floor while waiting to board their flights. The crowding blocks the passages.
The airport was transformed from its usually calm, efficient, modern ambience into something from a less developed country, such as Nairobi airport.
Arab News asked several passengers about their travel experience this time of year. Manal, who is traveling to Jeddah said, “I came an hour early to check in, the queue was so long and every now and then someone chose to jump the queue. So by the time I reached the counter, it was too late: the flight had taken off. I complained to the counter supervisor who angrily told me that I should have arrived earlier, when in fact I had.” Manal waited for five hours before she could find a seat on a later flight.
Another passenger traveling with his wife and four children experienced the same problem from the disorganized queuing system. He was told to go back home, although he had arrived in good time to board the flight. He had booked his seat a month in advance.
The other problems the passengers were facing were long flight delays and not enough extra flights. This has caused a lot of frustration and friction between the passengers and staff, who at times lose control.
Arab News was told that up to 100 passengers were often on the waiting list for each flight. Naturally, this has made the atmosphere at the airport unbearable. A few passengers were in tears because of the ordeal caused by either delayed or missed flights.
One passenger explained: “I travel from Riyadh all the time and throughout the year; I do not experience any difficulties at the airport. But I really think during this time of year when more people travel, during the high season and during school holidays, something needs to be done urgently to combat congestion. I usually find traveling pleasurable but certainly not now.”
Some staff members had the courtesy to guide tired passengers to the waiting lounge to relax. However, there would be no flight information available for them to let them know whether they have a confirmed seat on the flight or not, unless they waited at the check-in area and continued asking. Therefore waiting in the lounge would guarantee failure to get on board any flight. It was a “survival of the fittest” situation.
Arab News tried to get an explanation for the current situation at the airport from one of the airport’s senior supervisors, but was told to wait because he was busy. Even after a long wait we were not permitted to talk with him, because, we were told, he had important matters to attend to. A staffer explained that this was a perfectly normal state of affairs at the airport at this time of the year.
No effort was being made to calm the angry passengers, or give them any alternative except to wait and try their luck, or go home.
Arab News later found out that priority was being given to women who were travelling alone to get on flights as soon as possible, which was a positive measure on the part of the staff.
A more efficient passenger service is urgently needed.
