CX suspends cabin crew accused of discrimination against non-English speakers
Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised after a Mandarin-speaking passenger on flight CX987 from Chengdu to Hong Kong accused its flight attendants of insulting and discriminating against non-English speakers. "We have suspended the flight attendants concerned and launched an internal investigation," the airline said, adding that any "inappropriate words and deeds" that violated its rules and professional ethics would be dealt with seriously once confirmed.
The passenger accused the flight attendants of making fun of others’ language ability by saying in English: “If you cannot speak ‘blanket’, you cannot have it,” and “Carpet is on the floor”.One flight attendant was said to have remarked in Cantonese to her colleague: “They cannot understand the human language”, after making an in-flight announcement in Cantonese to remind passengers to remain seated when the safety belt sign was on, as an elderly passenger holding a child went to the toilet.
Source: SCMP