13-04-2025
‘The Dubai we want': Sheikh Mohammed praises DXB immigration officer for kind gesture with visitor
When immigration officers at airports ask passengers to step aside, travellers usually worry that something is wrong with their visas. This was not the case when Abdallah Al Balushy, an officer at DXB, chatted with a wheel-chaired woman who was about to board a plane home.
The incident was narrated by Heba Mustafa Saleh, a radio announcer on Dubai's Alarabiya 99 and the daughter-in-law of that woman.
"After passing the security area, an immigration officer called Abdallah Al Blushy who I would like to salute, stopped her and talked with her then waved to my husband to approach him," said Heba in a clip of a radio show.
Al Blushy asked Heba's husband how long has his mother been in the UAE?Upon knowing that the woman has only stayed for less than a month, the officer said: "Why is she leaving us so early? Have we bothered her in anyway?"
After knowing she is only leaving because of some doctors' appointments, Al Balushy said to the son: "Sorry forgive me I stopped her because I saw you bidding her farewell so I wanted you to bid her farewell again and we wanted to ask her to pray for us and to forgive us for any shortcomings. We are waiting for her to come back to us as soon as possible'.
The friendly gesture caught the attention of Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid who retweeted the video of the radio announcer telling the story and said 'A salute to whoever draws a smile or brings joy to a traveller's heart".
Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE, sheds light from time to time on distinguished employees whose performance makes peoples' lives easier and government services in Dubai smoother.
In March, he hailed one customer service employee who works at a vehicle inspection and registration centre in Dubai's Al Qusais. The Ruler shared pictures of the "diligent young man" who was "committed to completing transactions efficiently".
He noted that customers at the centre expressed their gratitude for his "cheerful" nature and his attitude towards them.
