RIYADH — Saudi Airlines employees have been reportedly working as brokers for recruitment of housemaids from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, according to a source. A source said employees of Saudi Airlines are using their privileges to mediate between Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi housemaids and Saudi sponsors. "These employees have set up recruitment kiosks in various cities in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Brokers demand high prices for recruitment reaching up to millions of riyals. Often times, Saudi sponsors get robbed of their money as the brokers take a sum and give a sum to the workers before they arrive to the Kingdom, giving chance to back away from the deal with money in their hands out of it," said the source. The source said there is no protection for the Saudis' rights. "There have been many cases of Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi housemaids who come to the Kingdom legally through brokers but simply refuse to work. The Saudi sponsor is then forced to buy the housemaid flight tickets for her to return to her country," said the source. Saudi Airlines Public Relations General Director Abdulrahman Al-Fahd denied this assertion, and said: "There isn't a single Saudi Airline employee who works as a broker for expatriate recruitment." "This is a blind accusation with no evidence whatsoever. We are happy to look into an employee's records if it was proven that he was involved in such a business. Saudi Airlines is responsible for its current employees. It is not responsible for past employees who used to work for the airlines but are now working as brokers," said Al-Fahd. He added opening a recruitment office is not that easy a process. "The Ministry of Labor keeps records of all recruitment offices. To work in expatriate recruitment offices you must be licensed to do that by the ministry. In order to obtain the license, you must submit your personal information including current job if there is any," said the source.
