Workers Bound for KSA: Airlines make it harder for them

Bangladeshi migrants trying to go to Saudi Arabia have found themselves in more trouble as airlines are now saying that hotel bookings for the seven-day on-arrival institutional quarantine must be done by passengers.

Officials of Saudi Arabian Airlines yesterday said they can no longer help migrant workers with hotel bookings.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which is scheduled to resume flights to the Middle Eastern country on Saturday after nine days of suspension, too said passengers would have to book hotels on their own.

According to the latest travel advisory issued by the Saudi civil aviation authority, "The reservation for the institutional quarantine shall be done through the airlines."

It also says airlines should contact the institutional quarantine establishments that are listed by the Saudi ministry of tourism and they shall inform the General Authority of Civil Aviation and the tourism ministry about the contacted quarantine institutions.

Citing the instruction, migrant workers alleged that the airliners were avoiding their due responsibilities.

Many migrant workers yesterday helplessly ran from desk to desk at the Dhaka airport looking for help regarding hotel reservations. They also gathered in front of the Saudia airlines office in the capital's Karwan Bazar. They, however, found no designated person to talk to.

Talking to this correspondent, several workers said the airlines were avoiding their responsibilities by asking passengers to complete the hotel booking procedure.

According to several former top leaders of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies, more than 33,000 Saudi-bound expatriate workers are waiting to go to Saudi Arabia in the next one month after completing their visa procedures and with tickets in their hands.

"Due to complexities in hotel booking, many migrant workers might fail to go to Saudi Arabia in time. In that case, visas of many migrant workers might expire," Fakhrul Islam, former finance secretary, Baira and president of Recruiting Agency Welfare Organization of Bangladesh, told The Daily Star.

Tipu Sultan, president, Recruiting Agency Oikya Parishad, said the present situation required that the expatriates' welfare ministry come forward and help the remittance-earning workers with the hotel bookings.

Several thousand Saudi-bound Bangladeshi migrant workers have been facing untold sufferings due to the new travel advisory of Saudi Arabia that requires medical insurance against Covid-19 infections and hotel reservations for seven days of institutional quarantine.

The Saudi authorities said violators shall be deported and banned from entering the Middle East country indefinitely.

After the issuance of the fresh travel advisory that came into effect on May 20, the Saudi Arabian Airlines assisted the Saudi-bound workers in booking hotels until May 24.

On May 25, the airlines authorities hung a notice at different points of their office premises, informing that Saudi-bound migrant workers will have to complete the hotel booking process on their own using specific apps.

In its notice, Saudia asked all Saudi-bound Bangladeshi workers to book hotels for quarantine a minimum of 72 hours before their flight's departure through the Saudia Holidays website https://holidaysbysaudia.com. 

For hotel booking confirmation, Saudi-bound passengers were also asked to contact their respective employer/Kaphil/company/travel agency, or visit the website.

"Without booking through Saudia Holidays website, no hotel confirmation will be accepted," the notice also reads.

According to the notice, there is no need for quarantine package for non-residents and first-time visitors who have completed 14 days since receiving all doses of vaccination. They must provide a certificate or proof in accordance with the requirements set by the ministry of health.

Residence/Iqama holders who completed their vaccinations in the KSA will also not need quarantine packages, added the directives.

In an interview with The Daily Star on Tuesday, Country Manager of Saudia in Bangladesh, Tarik A Alowaidi, however, assured that if any Bangladeshi passenger misses flight or needs to change flight date on different grounds, Saudia will issue fresh ticket and will accommodate them in other flights without any charge.

Talking to The Daily Star, a senior official of Saudia yesterday said they had provided service temporarily to the Bangladeshi workers regarding hotel booking as it was new to the passengers.

"But we cannot provide this service for an indefinite period as we lack necessary number of staffers to do this. Besides, it is also not our job," he said, wishing anonymity.

Talking to this correspondent in front of the Saudia's office, Mahbub Alam, a Saudi-bound worker, said he was at a loss since the airlines was no longer providing him with the service he needed. "I have bought my return ticket from a travel agent in Saudi Arabia. I find it hard now to contact the travel agent for completing my hotel booking," he said.

Besides, he said, despite repeated attempts, he failed to contact his Kaphil/employing company.

"Under this situation, I just feel helpless," he also said.

Another Saudi-bound worker said he was not educated enough and did not have the know-how for hotel booking.

Saudi-bound expatriate workers need to spend around Tk 65,000 to Tk 70,000 for staying at the hotel for  quarantine.

Following the fresh travel advisory, Biman Bangladesh Airlines on May 20 suspended all its fights to Saudi Arabia for nine days until May 29, saying they need time to make arrangements to comply with the fresh travel advisory.

Saudi Arabia is the largest expatriate income market for Bangladesh. At least 26 lakh expatriates are working in different sectors in that country.