Dubai Airport workers were left red-faced after an important ceremony went drastically wrong due to a technical failure.
The international hub was celebrating the 88th birthday of neighbour Saudi Arabia with a water salute for a Saudia Arabian Airlines flight.
This aviation tradition sees two firefighting engines shooting arcs of water over an arriving or departing plane to create an impressive arch effect.
A water salute signifies a highly important event but in this instance the ceremony went dreadfully wrong, as an awkward viral video showed.
A clip from Dubai Airport shows the Saudia Arabian Airlines plane taxiing forwards between two fire engines. As planned, the two vehicles send forth two impressive arcs of water over the plane.
The jet from the right rises higher and higher until the stream of water is almost vertical.
However, this could be due to the truck losing control of the flow of water rather an attempt to impress, judging by what happens next.
The plume of water lowers from its great height until it’s horizontal with the tarmac – and completely drenches the plane as it sprays water directly at the body of the aircraft.
To make matters worse the way the water hits the plane triggers the deployment of the emergency slide.
It can be seen unfurling from the left-hand-side of the plane as the jets of water continues to bombard the aircraft.
This could well have been due to the water setting off a sensor on the door.
The video of the event – which took place a couple of weeks ago – has now accumulated 42.8 thousand views on Twitter.
Water salutes tend to be used when an airport welcomes a new airline, a new route or when an existing route gets a new plane.
Each salute can used as much 3,000 gallons leading to some airports ending the tradition.
For instance, California airports stopped using them for water shortage reasons.
A recent video went viral in Dubai after an Arab woman reported a woman dressed in clothes she didn’t deem appropriate, resulting in the woman being given an abaya to cover up with.
There are signs in many of the malls warning tourists to dress modestly.
However, legal experts have warned ignoring the signs could result in three years in jail.
In Article 358 of the Federal Penal Code: “Indecent actions or anything that might be prejudicial to public morals made by a man or woman in public and could be considered as indecency would be punishable by six months to three years and deportation.”
This could cover dressing modestly, and by not doing so, tourists could be seen as being indecent.
The UAE government advise dressing modestly to avoid offending locals and Islamic values. This often means covering shoulders, arms and legs in loose-fitting clothing for both men and women.
Tourists who stay in holiday resorts are often able to wear less restrictive clothes which are more western. However, if leaving the resort, then the local laws should be followed to avoid causing offence.
