Those not complying with the dress code may be refused boarding, the carrier confirms.
If leggings and a vest are your travel clothes of choice, you might have to rethink your outfit before flying with Saudia.
The Saudi Arabian airline has just confirmed its dress code for passengers, which stipulates that women must not reveal their arms or legs, or wear “too thin or too tight” clothing.
The statement is available on the carrier’s website, and also confirms men must not expose their legs by wearing shorts.
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Saudia, which flies from the kingdom to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, asks travellers to refrain from wearing anything that could “cause discomfort or offense to other passengers”, adding that a failure to comply could mean customers are refused boarding or asked to leave the plane.
According to StepFeed, the dress code applies to passengers boarding Saudia flights from outside the kingdom, with some female travellers telling Makkah Newspaper they had been forced to buy new clothes at international airports before getting on a plane back to Saudi.
According to Saudi law, all females in the conservative kingdom must wear loose-fittings abayas in public, with many Muslim women also wearing a hijab or niqab.
Visiting foreigners and non-Muslim women are, however, not required by law to don a headscarf.
Saudi’s former head of the tourism and health sector, Ali Al Ghamdi, told Makkah that the dress code wasn’t exclusive to Saudia, with many airlines across the world imposing similar restrictions.
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Neither Emirates nor Etihad have dress codes stated on their websites, however US carrier United Airlines made headlines earlier this year after refusing to let two teen girls wearing leggings board their plane.
The airline said the girls were “not in compliance with our dress code policy for company benefit travel”, as they were travelling free or on a discounted fare as dependents of a United employee.
Our best bet? If you’re unsure of a carrier’s dress code, check with the airline before you travel.
Images: Saudia Airline/Facebook
