Here’s a story – apocryphal, no doubt, but it should be true – told by many Saudi expats.

The BA flight from Heathrow to Jeddah is about thirty minutes outside of Saudi airspace, and the stews have locked up the booze cabinets and are cleaning up the now empty drinks.

The pilot’s voice comes over the PA system. “Good morning ladies and gentlemen. This is your pilot speaking. We are approximately thirty minutes from our destination of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.”

“The temperature in Jeddah is a balmy 27 degrees Celsius or about 80 degrees Fahrenheit for our American friends. The sky is clear with a light breeze coming in from the Red Sea to the West.”

“We have started our final approach to KAIA, so please put you seats in the upright position and fasten your seat belts.”

“The current time in Jeddah is 8:23 AM, so for those passengers whose watches are set to Greenwich Mean Time, you’ll need to set them back about twelve hundred years.”

“Thank you for flying British Airways.”

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Eudaimonia