Saudi Airline denies asking flight hostesses to remove their veils

Saudi Arabian Airlines on Monday dismissed reports it has asked female flight attendants to remove their Islamic headscarves, also known as the Hijab, during duty.

“There has been some incorrect information circulating around indicating the intention of the Saudi Airlines to ban its flight hostesses from wearing veils. This is false and misleading information.”

Al-Riyadh newspaper quoted Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahim al-Hazmi, deputy director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines, as saying.

“We as a national carrier are committed to preserving our cultural tradition and the Islamic values of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our flight attendants will continue wearing headscarves onboard,” he added.

Abdullah bin Ahmed al-Husseini, assistant director-general of the Saudi Airlines, has also denied rumors of asking flight attendants to take off their headscarves. “This is fabricating news and does not reflect well the Arabian culture and traditions,” he added.

Meanwhile, Abdullah al-Ajhar, of the airlines’ public relations department, said there is no tendency for the kingdom’s flag carrier to change the look of its flight attendants.

The company’s response followed social media reports that the airline seeks to change the appearance of its female flight attendants by requiring them to reveal their ears and necks, traditionally covered by the Islamic headscarf.