Passengers on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight Tuesday from Jeddah to Paris said the flight's navigator apologized to them for a delay due to the captain's sudden illness, but they received no other information or assistance while they waited in the airport for six hours before the flight departed. Assistant Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines for Public Relations Abdullah Al-Ajhar, said he had not received a report about the matter and added, “We'll call the Paris station to verify the information.” The plane's crew confirmed the pilot's sudden illness, said passengers, who added that they were not informed about the nature of the illness, the period of delay or if there was another pilot who could fly the plane to Jeddah. The flight was scheduled to take off at noon, Paris time, but the crew's apology came 30 minutes after people boarded the plane, said passengers who were displeased because the crew did not provide any services until they made an announcement for passengers to return to the departure terminal. They said no Saudia employee helped them while they remained crowded in front of the counter at the departure terminal and that they received no help in the six hours they waited in the airport.
