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Nicholas Stanley-Price

The change of policy under the new BOAC management led directly to the
‘Weightman complaint’ in February 1940. His target was Imperial Airways which
had in fact ceased to operate in late 1939 (the new BOAC was formally launched on
1 April 1940). With Britain now at war, operations had continued at Sharjah but now
in BOAC’s name. The superintendent (Stephen Broad) with whom Howes had dealt
had been succeeded by Brian Nelson who, almost immediately on taking up his post,
had to ensure the security of the Rest House and its guests during the Dubai–Sharjah
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‘war’. It was in these demanding circumstances that Hugh Weightman, Political
Agent in Bahrain, and an assistant visited the coast and spent two nights at the Rest
House. After Weightman’s return to Bahrain, the British residency agent in Sharjah
paid a bill submitted to him for the costs of Weightman’s stay. The latter complained
first to Howes in Sharjah and then to his superior, the Political Resident in the Persian
Gulf (C.G. Prior), to the effect that “I refuse absolutely to pay luxury hotel rates
for the fifth rate accommodation which one gets there”. On previous visits he had
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paid for meals (and drinks) at local Sharjah rates. Obviously incensed, he pointed
out that his visit was partly to facilitate Imperial Airways’s (sic) operations; maybe
he should recover from Imperial Airways the cost of all services that they performed
for the airline, for instance the costs of the many telegrams sent after the Hannibal
disappeared? Similarly, he had never understood why Political Agency staff paid full
fare when travelling with Imperial. This was the first time he had been charged this
“absurd penal rate for staying in the extremely uncomfortable Rest House at Sharjah”.
Nelson, the superintendent, responded that he had simply used the tariffs listed in
his handbook. The BOAC regional manager in Baghdad (Maynard Marais) offered a
full refund; but as for allowing the diplomats a reduced rate in the future, this would
cause difficulties because RAF officers and personnel of the Rafidain Oil Company
working for the airline had no reduced rates when they used the Rest House. Making
an exception would be invidious. By way of compromise, it was agreed that, in
future, Weightman and his assistant would receive free accommodation and would
be charged for messing (meals) at local rates.
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The exchange of correspondence reveals much about how the British airlines operated
at that time in the Gulf. It shows that British diplomats received no discount on airfares
and, if arriving by other means, had to pay if they stayed at the Sharjah Rest House.
It was the first time in Weightman’s experience that a bill for his accommodation had
been sent to the local residency which, without consulting him, had settled it with
the superintendent at the airfield. On previous visits (i.e. under Imperial Airways) he
had used his daily allowance to pay for meals at local Sharjah rates (those that Howes
had already considered ‘very high’ in 1938).

As Marais in Baghdad pointed out, BOAC was operating under the Air Ministry’s
control. The Political Agency’s actions at Sharjah and Dubai were in support of
Imperial Communications and so constituted a service to the British Government.

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