I just flew back to Israel from Europe on a European airline and we wasted an hour and a half in Cyprus changing crews. It seems that the crews are to afraid to stay overnight in Tel Aviv.
This is so silly it is laughable. These same airlines fly to places like Kinshasa, Entebbe, Lagos, Johannesburg etc. (I picked these places at random from their African route map) not exactly paragons of peace and stability (and in fact all places where you can't drink the water and need anti-malarial drugs).
Here are some interesting facts about these places.
The Economist writes the following about Lagos
Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, has a reputation as one of the world's most uninviting cities.
Bribery is most visible at police checkpoints (usually at big junctions), where armed police may demand “a little something for the weekend”.
...
Street crime in Lagos is high and those who can afford to do so live behind walled compounds protected by barbed wire, with iron bars at the windows.
The US State Department writes about Congo and Kinshasa
The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in light of recent unrest following the first round of the presidential elections. On August 21-22, there was sustained gunfire in the Gombe neighborhood of Kinshasa where many expatriates reside.
South Africa in general and Johannesburg in particular are facing an incredible crime wave. A serious crime is committed every 17 seconds in South Africa and Johannesburg is the epicentre of the crisis.
Yet, the crews have no problem staying overnight in these wonderful inviting places, only in Tel Aviv are they so terrified. Just amazing.
1 comment:
It's not just them. I have people at work who refuse to come to Israel from the US, but will go to all kinds of other places (far east), where also you can't drink the water and police can arrest you just because they feel like it.
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