DUBAI // A man who used Twitter to complain to the chief of Dubai Police that he had been denied entry to the country because of a mix-up over his name has been given a free trip by way of apology.
Abdullah Al Baddah, a doctor from Saudi Arabia, wrote to Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim on his personal Twitter account on May 30 to complain that Dubai airport authorities had stopped him entering the country three days earlier.
"Lt Gen Tamim, I am a Saudi doctor who was denied entry to Dubai at the airport without any clear reason. How do I get back my right to enter Dubai?" he asked on the police chief's account.
Gen Tamim established that there had been a mix-up over the doctor's name.
He contacted Mr Al Baddah to apologise and offered to pay for another trip as part of a strategy to reach out to the public.
"I stress the keenness of Dubai Police to reach the general public, give everyone their rights and to correct mistakes that take place," he told Dr Al Baddah, who visited police headquarters yesterday.
"I personally apologise for the mistake which prevented you from entering the UAE."
