The Perils of Drinking in the Middle East

By Pat Greenham

As Julie was being interviewed in the Police Station after spending an uncomfortable night in the cells, she knew that she was in big trouble. The previous evening had been normal enough until one of her friends suggested going to a party in town. That’s where it all went badly wrong.

This was Julie’s second year working for a Emirates as an Air Hostess. She was having a great time – a normal month would see her doing three long haul trips, each with about four days away from home with the rest of the time spent in the sun. Julie lived on a compound that was for the sole use of employees of the airline, largely air hostesses and stewards. The compound was safe and outside the concerns of the police who turned a ‘blind eye’ to the alcohol that was consumed. Indeed most of the employees were allowed to buy a certain amount of alcohol per month from government controlled centers. The rules were clear – that this was purely for home consumption.