With regard to the article “Airport staff face the ax for below par performance” (Sep. 24), there is no doubt in my mind that Saudi airport staff are the worst in the entire world. This is especially true of the immigration staff. They are more interested in chatting with their colleagues, sipping tea or walking out of their cubicles for long periods of time without bothering about the huge queues of arriving passengers. Their behavior is rude, arrogant and totally intolerable. This is the most disgusting experience a passenger faces in arriving in the Kingdom. Furthermore, they do not know any other language except Arabic. Aqil, Online response II. Whenever I reach Saudi immigration at the airport after returning from a vacation, the behavior of the immigration staff makes me feel like I am about to enter a prison and that the rude prison officer will do whatever he wants with me. Therefore, it is welcome news that airport staff will be disciplined if their performance is below par. This will help foreigners to change their view about Saudi Arabia. Immigration officers are the ones who welcome people to a country which is why their behavior is so important. Ashref, Online response III. Everyone knows the problem, but what are the solutions? I suggest that Saudi citizens and residents with exit and retry visas be separated from the passengers with visitor and Umrah visas as soon as they enter the arrival areas at the Kingdom's airports. This will help to facilitate the fast processing of nationals and residents. Moreover, more immigration staff should be appointed at peak periods of the day so that passengers can be processed faster. Alternatively, the Haj terminal in Jeddah can be used throughout the year. Qazi, Online response
