HONG KONG: Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd apologised after a passenger accused its flight attendants of discriminating against non-English speakers, prompting China's state media to criticise the airline for "worshipping foreigners."
Cathay said the experience of passengers travelling on its CX987 flight from the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu to Hong Kong on Sunday caused "widespread concern" and said it sincerely apologised.
The airline has fired three flight attendants involved after an internal investigation, CEO Ronald Lam said in another statement late Tuesday, in which he apologised again.
"I would like to reiterate that Cathay Pacific takes a 'zero tolerance' approach to serious violations of company rules and ethics by individual employees and will not tolerate them," Lam said.
He added that he would lead a cross-departmental working group to conduct a comprehensive review of service processes, staff training and related systems to enhance its service quality.
"Most importantly, we must ensure that all Cathay Pacific staff respect passengers from different backgrounds and cultures and provide professional and consistent service in all areas served," Lam said.
A passenger on the flight from Chengdu wrote in an online post that flight attendants complained amongst themselves about passengers in English and Cantonese. They said the flight attendants made fun of others for asking for a carpet instead of a blanket in English.
"If you cannot say blanket in English, you cannot have it. ... Carpet is on the floor. Feel free if you want to lie on it," a flight attendant said, according to a recording that was circulated widely online. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the clip, which triggered criticism on social media.
Hong Kong's flagship carrier has been trying to rebuild itself as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was badly hit by COVID-related flight cancellations, border closings and strict quarantine measures for crew, resulting in drastic headcount reductions since 2020.
Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, said on Wednesday that the discrimination incident was serious and could not be repeated.
"The words and deeds of the flight attendants hurt the feelings of compatriots in Hong Kong and the mainland and destroyed Hong Kong's traditional culture and values of respect and courtesy," he said, according to a post on his Facebook.
China's state-owned People's Daily in an online commentary said it was shocked by the incident against Mandarin-speaking passengers and criticised Cathay's corporate culture for "worshipping foreigners and respecting Hong Kong people" but looking down on Mainlanders.
"Cathay Pacific can't just apologise every time, but should rectify heavily, establish rules and regulations, and stop the unhealthy trend from the root," it said.
The newspaper went on to say that the level of Mandarin in Hong Kong is improving by "leaps and bounds."
"In Hong Kong the reverse trend of worshipping English and looking down on Mandarin is bound to disappear." the newspaper said.
Reuters
Wed May 24 2023
The airline has fired three flight attendants involved after an internal investigation, CEO Ronald Lam said. - FACEBOOK/Cathay Pacific
AWANI Ringkas: Negara luar memuliakan Malaysia
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Kerja 24 jam tanpa bayaran, Sahabat Maktab sanggup bantu jemaah haji
Walaupun perlu berkorban masa dan tenaga, kesemua mereka bertekad menyantuni tetamu Allah dengan sebaiknya seperti yang dilakukan petugas TH.
AWANI Pagi: Berita tumpuan & menarik di astroawani.com [26 Mei 2024]
Antara fokus Awani Pagi bersama Afiezy Azaman & Azib Zikry;
Kerajaan tidak perkenal cukai baharu, sasar subsidi lebih adil - PM
Pemulihan luar biasa, Faisal Halim dibenar keluar hospital
Beri peluang bekas banduan bekerja, cegah kembali ke penjara - Ramanan
Kerajaan tidak perkenal cukai baharu, sasar subsidi lebih adil - PM
Pemulihan luar biasa, Faisal Halim dibenar keluar hospital
Beri peluang bekas banduan bekerja, cegah kembali ke penjara - Ramanan
Kekejaman Zionis: Rundingan gencatan senjata Gaza mungkin disambung semula
Prospek untuk menyambung semula rundingan gencatan senjata Gaza meningkat walaupun Israel melakukan serangan baharu di mana lebih 40 rakyat Palestin terbunuh.
Kekejaman Zionis: Perintah ICJ gagal menidakkan keseluruhan serangan - Israel
Israel menganggap perintah Mahkamah Dunia untuk menghentikan serangan tenteranya ke atas Rafah di selatan Gaza memberi ruang untuk beberapa tindakan ketenteraan di sana.
Kekejaman Zionis: Penduduk Rafah alu-alukan keputusan mahkamah dunia
Penduduk Semenanjung Gaza mengalu-alukan arahan daripada mahkamah tertinggi Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu supaya Israel menghentikan serangan tenteranya ke atas bandar Rafah di selatan.
Mesir sambut arahan ICJ, gesa tindakan UNSC tamatkan krisis
Mesir menyambut baik keputusan Mahkamah Keadilan Antarabangsa (ICJ) mengenakan langkah tambahan ke atas Israel.
Selain menggesa Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNSC) mengambil tindakan tegas bagi menamatkan krisis kemanusiaan di Semenanjung Gaza.
Selain menggesa Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (UNSC) mengambil tindakan tegas bagi menamatkan krisis kemanusiaan di Semenanjung Gaza.
Kekejaman Zionis: Itali sambung dana untuk UNRWA
Itali akan menyambung semula pembiayaan untuk organisasi bantuan Palestin PBB (UNRWA) sebagai sebahagian daripada pakej bantuan 35 juta euro.
Fahmi jumpa pengendali platform media sosial di Singapura bulan depan
Pertemuan dibuat susulan tindakan Meta Platforms menurunkan hantaran berita media Malaysia mengenai pertemuan Anwar dengan Ismail Haniyah.
KTMB sedia empat tren tambahan sempena Aidiladha
Sebanyak 9,450 tiket tren tambahan termasuk koc kelas perniagaan akan mula dijual pada 3 petang hari ini.
COVID-19: Syarikat penerbangan terjejas, Malindo Air berdepan kekangan aliran tunai?
Di Malaysia, Malindo Air nampaknya menjadi syarikat penerbangan pertama mendedahkan 'inisiatif pengurangan kos' berkaitan dengan COVID-19.