Khaireya Al-Saggaf

Al-Jazirah newspaper

We suffer when we travel through our airports, especially King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. Upon arrival at Jeddah airport, passengers can wait for their luggage for hours, because three or more flights have all arrived at the same time. Travellers will have two choices, either to hire someone to help at the airport to receive the luggage while waiting, or to serve themselves and also wait. Few chairs are available and it is hard to find a place to sit.

Even when you receive your luggage, you will find it dusty and in bad shape and possibly damaged. I do not know what airport officials are doing behind their desks while people in the overcrowded airport halls are tired and complaining. I do not know how long people will continue to suffer when they are inbound and outbound from our airports.

Passengers are uncertain whether a plane will take off on time or if there will be some delay. Lame excuses are given for the delay in the arrival of flights, blaming the point of departure or if the flight is taking off from the airport and is delayed, then placing the blame on maintenance. Passengers will find themselves directed from one gate to another without any warning.

It seems that airport officials care more about the commercial shops at the airport more than they do about passengers. I tend to travel by car just to avoid the frustration of traveling through the airport.

Many times when boarding is announced, passengers rush to stand in long lines and the pain and suffering then becomes even worse when the gates are not opened for a long time.