Gulf | Bahrain
Bahrain MP slams Gulf Air for serving alcohol to passengers
An Islamist MP on Tuesday blasted Gulf Air for serving alcohol to its passengers, saying that he will introduce a bill to ban alcohol on the national carrier.
- Staff Report
- Published: 13:50 April 15, 2008
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- Gulf Air operates scheduled services to over 40 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.
Manama: An Islamist MP on Tuesday blasted Gulf Air for serving alcohol to its passengers, saying that he will introduce a bill to ban alcohol on the national carrier.
"This is a state-owned company and as such it should comply with the constitution of Bahrain that states that Islam is the official religion and the source of its legislation," Mohammad Khalid, representing Al Menbar, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, said.
Consumption
"Many of the people working for the airline are upset over its insistence on serving alcoholic beverages and this is against their religious beliefs and values since Islam condemns those who drink and those who offer wine," he said in his press statement.
Bahrain allows the sale of alcohol in bars and in some restaurants, but, under pressure from the parliament, has taken measures to limit its consumption and to ban it during Ramadan, the most sacred month for Muslims.
The move sparked a controversy after Islamists hailed it as "the right move" but liberals said it was as an attack on personal freedom.
Values
A decision by Bahrain Air, a newly-launched private company, not to serve alcohol on its flights, was presented by MP Mohammad Khalid as a "bright example" to be emulated.
"I urge all airlines here to follow the decision of Bahrain Air and to comply with our religious values and stop offering alcoholic drinks," he said.
The MP said that his bloc, with six members in the 40-seat lower house, was consulting with other political groups and MPs to enact a law to ban alcoholic drinks on Gulf Air flights.
Gulf Air, initially equally co-owned by Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Abu Dhabi, has not commented.
The company now fully owned by Bahrain operates scheduled services to over 40 destinations in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.
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