Tags
Oman Air has switched off an inflight map system that labelled the waterway between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran, the subject of a bitter naming dispute, as the "Persian Gulf".
The decision followed a storm of criticism on social media after a passenger posted a video showing the map in Arabic referring to the Persian, rather than Arabian Gulf.
"Our crew have been notified to disable the disturbing maps," the sultanate's national carrier said in a statement on Twitter.
Two Boeing Dreamliners hired from Kenya Airways used a different map system to its own, it said, adding that it had asked Panasonic, which runs the system, to change the maps "without delay".
One Twitter user called the map "a resounding scandal", while another said Oman had "said goodbye to Arabism".
The United Nations and international maps generally refer to the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran as the "Persian Gulf", the term used by ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy.
Arab states, particularly the Gulf states that are arch rivals of Iran, call it the "Arabian Gulf".
In 2010, Tehran said it would not grant air access to planes using the term "Arabian Gulf" on their inflight maps.
Oman is the only state in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to have friendly relations with Iran.
Other states in the bloc, particularly Saudi Arabia, accuse Iran of meddling in Arab affairs, especially in Syria and Yemen.
There are no comments.
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you are saying farewell to those that have left a positive impression. That was the case earlier this month when Canada hosted Mexico in a friendly at BC Place stadium in Vancouver.
Some 60mn primary-school-age children have no access to formal education
Lekhwiya’s El Arabi scores the equaliser after Tresor is sent off; Tabata, al-Harazi score for QSL champions
The Yemeni Minister of Tourism, Dr Mohamed Abdul Majid Qubati, yesterday expressed hope that the 48-hour ceasefire in Yemen declared by the Command of Coalition Forces on Saturday will be maintained in order to lift the siege imposed on Taz City and ease the entry of humanitarian aid to the besieged
Some 200 teachers from schools across the country attended Qatar Museum’s (QM) first ever Teachers Council at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) yesterday.
The Supreme Judiciary Council (SJC) of Qatar and the Indonesian Supreme Court (SCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on judicial co-operation, it was announced yesterday.
Sri Lanka is keen on importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar as part of government policy to shift to clean energy, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem has said.