Delta said that it does not operate service to Saudi Arabia and does not codeshare with any airline on flights to that country. The airline said that it does not intend to codeshare or share reciprocal benefits, such as frequent-flyer benefits, with Saudi Arabian Airlines. Delta said that its only agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines is a standard interline agreement, which allows passengers to book tickets on multiple carriers, similar to the standard interline agreements American Airlines, US Airways and Alaska Airlines have with Saudi Arabian Airlines. Delta said that all three global airline alliances — Star, which includes United Airlines; oneworld, which includes American Airlines; and SkyTeam, which includes Delta — have members that fly to Saudi Arabia and are subject to that country’s rules governing entry.
The issue arose when a conservative website reported that Delta Airlines was enforcing a Saudi ban on Jewish visitors by partnering with Saudi Arabian Airlines. The report sparked a round of angry demands directed at Delta and at the Saudi Embassy in Washington. The Saudi Embassy said that its government does not deny visas to U.S. citizens based on their religion. But Jewish defense organizations say that in practice, Saudi authorities make it very difficult for Jews to visit the country. For more information, visit www.delta.com.
Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued a statement denying stories being circulated on the Internet regarding passenger flight restrictions on Saudi Arabian Airlines. According to a statement from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Information Office, “Rumors being circulated via the Internet regarding passenger flight restrictions on Saudi Arabian Airlines are completely false. The Government of Saudi Arabia does not deny visas to U.S. citizens based on their religion.” For more information on Saudi Arabia, visit www.saudiembassy.net.