RIYADH: The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has said air carriers in Saudi Arabia cannot refuse boarding passes to people with special needs after their tickets have been issued.It stated that if carriers do not provide appropriate facilities, then passengers shall be entitled to compensation worth 200 percent of the value of their ticket, so long as their needs were disclosed prior to the booking’s completion.It added that equipment required by passengers with special needs to conduct their lives could not count towards a baggage limit, that storing such equipment on board should come at no additional cost to the passenger, and that airports in the Kingdom had to provide additional resources, including crutches and wheelchairs, for passengers who needed them. Passengers should, however, notify airlines 48 hours in advance.The statement comes as part of GACA’s commitment to introduce new executive regulations for customer rights, under the slogan “Your Rights are Protected.”