Deteriorating English-language speaking ability of FAs
May 31, 2011, 10:02 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: No longer Diamond and missing the good old days of CX
Posts: 1,521
How is this possible given that those who work in F have been with CX for many years already? The last SP that I spoke to has been working for CX for 21 years, and she enjoys working in F rather than being promoted to ISM.
May 31, 2011, 10:28 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
Not all in F have worked there for 21 years. You even see some red skirts there these days.
Jun 1, 2011, 2:58 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: CX Silver, QFF Bronze, Mabuhay Miles
Posts: 571
I have had a blonde-hair, blue-eye FA on a couple of CX flights (HKG-TPE if I recall correctly), although I can't remember her name. I am sure others will know who I am talking about.
Yes, her English was perfect. But her Cantonese was also of a high standard, I presume - good enough chat with passengers and to read the landing announcement. IMMD.
Yes, her English was perfect. But her Cantonese was also of a high standard, I presume - good enough chat with passengers and to read the landing announcement. IMMD.
Jun 1, 2011, 3:43 am
#20
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Let's be honest, FA is not exactly a skilled-labor job. It's glorified waiter/waitress. Which, at 9K/month based (which means in reality it's much more than that), is more than enough compensation and no it's not too much to ask the people to have good English skills to go with it.
Now, if CX flight attendants are required to learn Wing Chung like Hong Kong Airlines flight attendants, then yes, I would give them some slack in English skills...
Now, if CX flight attendants are required to learn Wing Chung like Hong Kong Airlines flight attendants, then yes, I would give them some slack in English skills...
Jun 1, 2011, 5:45 am
#21
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But those young kids in HK who are going to be good at English are likely to be more academically gifted and are not going to take a flight attendant career path.
Jun 1, 2011, 6:22 am
#22
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 52
is to start a new flight attendant base across the border.(in China)
I'm sure hundreds, no thousands, of eager, well-educated young women
are eager to work for CX, and for a lot less pay. They are more likely
to have excellent Cantonese/Mandarin AND English skills!
Jun 1, 2011, 8:37 am
#23
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: My existence is what matters
Programs: NZ, QF
Posts: 469
Seems to me the best way for CX to get higher quality flight attendants
is to start a new flight attendant base across the border.(in China)
I'm sure hundreds, no thousands, of eager, well-educated young women
are eager to work for CX, and for a lot less pay. They are more likely
to have excellent Cantonese/Mandarin AND English skills!
is to start a new flight attendant base across the border.(in China)
I'm sure hundreds, no thousands, of eager, well-educated young women
are eager to work for CX, and for a lot less pay. They are more likely
to have excellent Cantonese/Mandarin AND English skills!
A few of my friends who are working a FA in Doha are paid almost RMB17-18k a month, basic plus allowances (they belong to lower ranks in the cabin crew). This is higher than what a typical junior CX FA earns I believe. Also, considering that their salaries are tax-free and their accomodation is provided by the company free, I bet this is a sough-after option for many FA-wannabe from the mainland China.
Jun 1, 2011, 10:23 am
#24
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,188
thats HKD...merely around a 1000USD per month...but still considered high for many fresh grad or so..
FA in hong kong is not like FA in Europe or america, where people do it because they like it as a job, and not being treated on the same level either in terms of respect or so...many in hk just think FA are higher class of waiter/waiteress, as Cathay Boy said
and for english standard, I have been meeting FA with super good english, without chinese or cantonese accent, when communicating with pax and staffs. Maybe those are based outport rather than in HK
FA in hong kong is not like FA in Europe or america, where people do it because they like it as a job, and not being treated on the same level either in terms of respect or so...many in hk just think FA are higher class of waiter/waiteress, as Cathay Boy said
and for english standard, I have been meeting FA with super good english, without chinese or cantonese accent, when communicating with pax and staffs. Maybe those are based outport rather than in HK
Jun 1, 2011, 10:44 am
#25
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
thats HKD...merely around a 1000USD per month...but still considered high for many fresh grad or so..
FA in hong kong is not like FA in Europe or america, where people do it because they like it as a job, and not being treated on the same level either in terms of respect or so...many in hk just think FA are higher class of waiter/waiteress, as Cathay Boy said
and for english standard, I have been meeting FA with super good english, without chinese or cantonese accent, when communicating with pax and staffs. Maybe those are based outport rather than in HK
FA in hong kong is not like FA in Europe or america, where people do it because they like it as a job, and not being treated on the same level either in terms of respect or so...many in hk just think FA are higher class of waiter/waiteress, as Cathay Boy said
and for english standard, I have been meeting FA with super good english, without chinese or cantonese accent, when communicating with pax and staffs. Maybe those are based outport rather than in HK
Jun 1, 2011, 11:06 am
#26
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,344
thats HKD...merely around a 1000USD per month...but still considered high for many fresh grad or so..
FA in hong kong is not like FA in Europe or america, where people do it because they like it as a job, and not being treated on the same level either in terms of respect or so...many in hk just think FA are higher class of waiter/waiteress, as Cathay Boy said
and for english standard, I have been meeting FA with super good english, without chinese or cantonese accent, when communicating with pax and staffs. Maybe those are based outport rather than in HK
FA in hong kong is not like FA in Europe or america, where people do it because they like it as a job, and not being treated on the same level either in terms of respect or so...many in hk just think FA are higher class of waiter/waiteress, as Cathay Boy said
and for english standard, I have been meeting FA with super good english, without chinese or cantonese accent, when communicating with pax and staffs. Maybe those are based outport rather than in HK
Remember Steven Slater? A male FA for jetBlue, Slater quit his job in an illegal and memorable manner because passengers did not give him respect, hit him, and verbally abused him. He instantly became a hero among other American FA's as they could relate to his experiences. Still think they get more respect over in the States?
And I highly doubt current FA's at American or European FA's love their job anymore, if they like it at all. Their attitude - indifferent at best, prison guard like at worst - suggest that they need the pay check in a bad economy and don't care about their jobs as the big powerful unions will protect them from bring fired. There is absolutely no way to convince me otherwise until their attitude becomes professionally respectful at the very least.
Jun 2, 2011, 12:08 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,118
English language skills aren't the only aptitudes that wane in this situation. There are probably fewer FAs with precise fluency in multiple languages. I can recall individual CX staff who would go down the rows greeting passengers in English, Malay, and Cantonese on flights from SIN and KUL or PEN; and also FAs who could do the same in English, Korean, and Japanese on flights from SEL to TPE. This doesn't seem to occur today.
Jun 2, 2011, 1:00 am
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
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I find CX FAs still a refreshing 'bunch' ... its nice to meet a cross section of different nationalities and races... especially the ones from Malaysia... 'oh, where are you from? '.. and when they find out that you have family from where they're from, well, the service level somewhat improves!!
Jun 2, 2011, 7:10 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,344
Hong Kong Airlines flight attendants are trained in martial arts ??
I find CX FAs still a refreshing 'bunch' ... its nice to meet a cross section of different nationalities and races... especially the ones from Malaysia... 'oh, where are you from? '.. and when they find out that you have family from where they're from, well, the service level somewhat improves!!
I find CX FAs still a refreshing 'bunch' ... its nice to meet a cross section of different nationalities and races... especially the ones from Malaysia... 'oh, where are you from? '.. and when they find out that you have family from where they're from, well, the service level somewhat improves!!