JEDDAH: A number of Saudi pilots said they have reached a dead-end with Saudi Arabian Airlines after they were sacked because they lacked qualifications and proficiency in English. The pilots and their families are demanding that the Civil Aviation Authority and other authorities form a committee to study their situation, the legality of the terminations and the refusal to employ them. They added that Saudia has started sending students on flying scholarships while numbers of other qualified pilots are seeking employment. Abdullah Al-Ajhar, Assistant Director of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said he did not have enough information “about the sacking of a group of pilots who studied at their own expense in the US and Europe,” adding that the English test is, “one of the basic requirements for flying.” Asked to address the pilots' suggestions that they be allowed to pilot domestic flights and those to Arab countries while they work to earn their qualifications, Al-Ajhar said he did not have enough information to address the matter and that he would work to get it. An airline official said both sides have some accountability. “The responsibility lies with both the airline and the pilots who failed to pass the test,” he said. “Pilots must have proficiency in English because courses, reference material and control towers use English, but the airline must give them more than one chance to pass the test.” The airline does not sack those who have fulfilled its requirements, which include building up a certain number of flying hours, passing medical tests and tests related to the work, said Abdullah Al-Amri, Saudia's Assistant Director General for Air Operations.
