Bibles Banned on One Airline's Flights to Saudi Arabia

I found this article in today's WorldNetDaily, and the headine was, "Airline bans Bibles to avoid offending Muslims," with a subhead of, "Carrier to Saudi Arabia also precluding crucifixes, teddy bears." It looks pretty alarming, but then WorldNetDaily is a bit further to the Right than I am.

The article opens this way (emphasis added):

A British airline banned its staff from taking Bibles and wearing crucifixes or St. Christopher medals on flights to Saudi Arabia to avoid offending the country's Muslims.

British Midland International also has told female flight attendants they must walk two paces behind male colleagues and cover themselves from head to foot in a headscarf and robe known as an abaya, the Mirror newspaper of London reported.

It looks as though the female flight attendants have to wear the abaya all through the flight, but that may not be the case. The article isn't very clear on that point.

The airline's staff handbook says: "Prior to disembarking the aircraft all female crew will be required to put on their company issued abaya. It will be issued with the headscarf which must be worn."

If the abaya is required only when the flight attendants get off the plane, then I don't really see a problem with that. It becomes a matter of safety for the airline's employees, especially in light of Muslim men in some parts of the world who believe they have the right to rape uncovered women. If I were to set foot on Saudi soil, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'd be covered up to the rafters.

The concern that I have is the airline's policy of not offering its employees any reasonable options.

The employees' union wants staff members to be able to opt out of the flights, but the airline says the only option is to transfer from overseas staff to domestic flights, which could mean a loss of about $30,000 a year in wages.

About 40 staff members have filed complaints since the route began in September.
Some of the male members who are homosexual have called in sick, because they are afraid of traveling to Saudi Arabia, where homosexual activity is punishable by flogging, jail or death.

Not much of a choice, really. Fly to Saudi Arabia when we tell you to, or take a hefty cut in pay. And the gay men risk their very lives. If a male flight attendant appears gay to one of the Saudis on the flight, how can he be sure he won't be arrested when the plane lands? The airline doesn't seem to care about this.

When safety is the issue, it pays to be careful, but British Midland International appears to have distorted view of what's important, and they're being rigid about it. If I ever need to fly on a British airline, it won't be British Midland.