I'm quite in agreement with the many points made by username on the sensitivities of language.

I, too, like to try to use the language comfortable to others - although part of it is that I like to learn languages.

About CX's supposed bias towards treating one nationality or group of passengers over another - I always thought they had traditionally tended to treat or cater to Westerners over Asians...but it may be different these days.

And in the old days, many HK Chinese would really give non-Cantonese speaking ethnic Chinese visitors the stink-eye. Nowadays, it's not so much, and in fact, Mandarin is more accepted as a lingua franca in Hong Kong than before. Nowadays, HK local people will be at a competitive disadvantage in the job market if they do not have Mandarin fluency, and not just in the traditional travel and retair sectors.