Mahmoud Ahmad Would it be too much to hope for that in the near or distant future that I see a small addition to the officials' demeanor at the airport — a simple smile that departing travelers and arriving passengers could be greeted with. To me that is a dream that I wish to see come true but I am sure for airport officials, it would be a nightmare they do not want to see happening. The reason I hope that I begin see that terrific upward curve of the person's mouth in these key personnel is because it makes all business personal. There is a strong power behind a smile. Dr. Robin Smith, author and speaker, said. “A smile is so powerful and contagious, your life may change for the better once you start smiling.” A smile can heal emotional pain and remove physical pain. A smile can defuse tense situations. A smile can bring comfort. Yet, a smile is what is sorely missing at the exit and entry points of the Kingdom ports. It is badly needed at entry points because that is the first thing a visitor or a pilgrim will see when they come to Saudi Arabia. Why is it so difficult for ground staff at airport, whether passport department, customs or even airline employees to smile at people? Does it cost them anything to do so? Do they need an allowance to smile? Do they need a set of rules to be enforced against those not smiling at passengers and travelers? Unfortunately, in my opinion, the only people — that also on a limited scale — whom I have seen smiling are flight attendants — generally females — who keep smiling even when insulted by passengers. The reason for my lament or hope is because the Kingdom authorities are boosting tourism and hospitality sectors and the prime skill that people in these sectors need is the art of being courteous. And this skill starts with a smile. The fact that a smile goes as long as a mile was evident by this skill being repeatedly used by our Gulf neighbors to gain repeat visitors. I was impressed during my recent visit to Dubai to see ground officials at the airport accord a smiling welcome to all passengers. Even a custom official took time to smile at me and ask me about the trip and wishing me a pleasant stay in Dubai. In stark contrast was my return to Jeddah. The passport official barely replied to my “salaam ale kum.” Some just grunted and some did not bother even to reply, as I observed my fellow passengers trying to just greet the officials with a smile. The unsmiling faces that responded or did not respond were as cold as a winter breeze. The chilling effect froze all conversation. Even when I tried to open a conversation with an immigration staff, he did not even bother to reply, although I knew he heard it. He simply stamped my passport and returned it back. Would it have cost him to be a little courteous? Sadly this has been the main complaint of everyone I know about these staff. I know they are also the first point of defense in trying to keep unwanted people from entering, but they are also the first face of the Kingdom to those arriving. A courteous and smiling welcome or just a wish to the departing traveler that may his journey be safe goes a long way in really making this a Kingdom of humanity. But their stiff attitudes just makes the visitors want to get the clearance done with, hoping that all goes well. The process of entering becomes a mechanical action of a hand giving in the passports, another taking it, stamping it and returning it, and the same hand taking it and leaving with a thank you that may evoke a response occasionally. This service they provide could come with a smile. For smiling eases tension and defuses tense situations, that is why it is very important for airport officials to be smiling at all the times. Travelers after a long and weary flight generally are tense. When met by frowning faces of airport officials, the situation is ripe for a needless situation. I witnessed such an incident, during my 4:00 a.m. arrival, when a grouchy custom official, who may not have liked his early morning shift, was taking out his irritation at passengers until one of the Saudi passengers exploded, asking him to show some respect. The custom official turned on the Saudi passenger, who stood his ground and smilingly asked the custom official for his name so he would file a complaint against him. While this slanging match was on, a group of Malaysian pilgrims were using their mobile phones to shoot the ugly scene and were just smiling away. There must have been many scenes like this, but even after reporting it, or just passing it around the local grapevine, there's been no change in attitude. But for over the years our Gulf neighbors are practicing to serve with a smile and winning people over. The irony is that in the cradle of Islam, which gave the world our revered Prophet Muhammad, peace by upon him, we are not following what he preached. He said, “When you smile to your brother's face, it is charity.” If we read it we understand that there is a great wisdom behind these words. Smiling is an effective positive weapon that all of us need to use. When a person smiles, 22 muscles are used. Since we are generally poor in reducing our weight and neglecting to exercise our stomach muscles, then how about strengthening our facial muscles by smiling? It will not take much. Even in the seventies show Allen Funt and his crew defused the prank played on people by asking them to smile, followed by the one-liner “you are on Candid Camera.” — The writer can be contacted at Twitter
