Deteriorating English-language speaking ability of FAs
Jun 2, 2011, 8:54 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2004
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And of course, a CX FA is a lot more useful than a McKinsey consultant these days!
Jun 2, 2011, 8:54 am
#32
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
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!!
CB: "So, where are you from?"
IF Hong Kong: "Nice, my wife is from Hong Kong, I love Hong Kong..."
IF Indonesia: "Beautiful Country: my in-laws are from Indonesia, my favor food is..."
IF Japan: "Wonderful, my great-grandma was Japanese, I love eel rolls..."
IF Malaysia: "Very good, I used to date a woman from Malaysia, she told me all about it..."
IF Philippines: "Good, my dad used to visit there many times as a naval officer, he told me...."
Yep, good way to open up a conversation and increase the level of personal service...
Jun 2, 2011, 8:57 am
#33
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Yep, I only knew because I'm a certified Wing Chun instructor and my Wing Chun friend in Hong Kong invited me to be a guest-instructor for one day while I was passing through Hong Kong.
http://worldscrews.blogspot.com/2011...ttendants.html
Gotta say teaching FAs Wing-Chun... lovely...
http://worldscrews.blogspot.com/2011...ttendants.html
Gotta say teaching FAs Wing-Chun... lovely...
Jun 2, 2011, 10:04 am
#34
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 52
You stole my method Guy! That is my preferred opening chit-chat:
CB: "So, where are you from?"
IF Hong Kong: "Nice, my wife is from Hong Kong, I love Hong Kong..."
IF Indonesia: "Beautiful Country: my in-laws are from Indonesia, my favor food is..."
IF Japan: "Wonderful, my great-grandma was Japanese, I love eel rolls..."
IF Malaysia: "Very good, I used to date a woman from Malaysia, she told me all about it..."
IF Philippines: "Good, my dad used to visit there many times as a naval officer, he told me...."
Yep, good way to open up a conversation and increase the level of personal service...
CB: "So, where are you from?"
IF Hong Kong: "Nice, my wife is from Hong Kong, I love Hong Kong..."
IF Indonesia: "Beautiful Country: my in-laws are from Indonesia, my favor food is..."
IF Japan: "Wonderful, my great-grandma was Japanese, I love eel rolls..."
IF Malaysia: "Very good, I used to date a woman from Malaysia, she told me all about it..."
IF Philippines: "Good, my dad used to visit there many times as a naval officer, he told me...."
Yep, good way to open up a conversation and increase the level of personal service...
You didn't happen to pick that up after seeing Marlon Brando's movie, Bedtime Stories, back in the 1960's??? (in which he played a US soldier stationed in West Germany... and also a con artist... Oh wait, you're probably too young to remember...
Brando always tell hot chick something like "my grandmother was born in that house over there... oh you live in it now... it would be great if you could show me the bedroom" That movie later had a remake called "Dirty Rotten Scoundrel" featuring Michael Caine and Steve Martin. 
Jun 2, 2011, 10:08 am
#35
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 52
Yep, I only knew because I'm a certified Wing Chun instructor and my Wing Chun friend in Hong Kong invited me to be a guest-instructor for one day while I was passing through Hong Kong.
http://worldscrews.blogspot.com/2011...ttendants.html
Gotta say teaching FAs Wing-Chun... lovely...
http://worldscrews.blogspot.com/2011...ttendants.html
Gotta say teaching FAs Wing-Chun... lovely...
Their name was "Wing Chun House of Wings" which always cracked me up
as I was driving by. The owner's wife worked for Cathay Pacific in HK for 20 years
and then retired to the LA area. What was even funnier was that the building next
door was a karate school run by a Korean fellow.
Last time I was there, the "Wing Chun House of Wings" went out of business and replaced by a bubble tea shop.
Jun 2, 2011, 11:41 am
#36
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I didn't know that, either, and I've been a U.S. resident my entire life. "Brown bread" and "whole wheat bread" are two very different things.
Jun 2, 2011, 12:02 pm
#37
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I've flown CX from the very late '60s (when the 707 was the fleet mainstay - and only type in the fleet IIRC) with the last time approximately 7 years ago. I noticed a deterioration of English speaking-skills in the FA pool after not flying them between mid 1980s and the late 1990s through 2004, and in the premium cabins at that (earliest CX flights were always in the main cabin).
Never heard the term "wheat bread" as a term for brown bread until I lived in the U.S. for any appreciable amount of time. Brown bread is the term used in just about all other English-speaking countries including Canada.
Never heard the term "wheat bread" as a term for brown bread until I lived in the U.S. for any appreciable amount of time. Brown bread is the term used in just about all other English-speaking countries including Canada.
Jun 2, 2011, 12:08 pm
#38
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Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,621
Correct English
I've been a loyal CX passenger for over 20 years. Over the last few years, I've noticed what has appeared to be a gradual deterioration in the English-language speaking abilities of cabin attendants (perhaps as a consequence of CX beginning to emphasize the hiring of Hong Kong residents over foreign contract workets--- this, at the same time as the HK education system began emphasizing the teaching of Mandarin Chinese, rather than English, as a second language). As a somewhat obvious corollary to this, I have noticed that most of the communication between FAs has shifted from English to Cantonese.
On my last couple of trips (in F class), the change was so noticeable that I had trouble communicating in English with the FAs with respect to certain dining options and service requests. If noticed that if I phrased my dining preference in any way other than EXACTLY the way the meal items were listed on the menus, emphasizing key words (i.e. "noodles," "cold water", etc.) that a fair amount of confusion resulted. It wasn't that they didn't want to help me, they honestly just couldn't understand me when I asked questions like whether the eggs came with potatoes, if I could have some extra of a certain item, etc. unless I spoke in slow, stilted English.
A variation on this (which isn't such a big deal for me, but might be for some Americans), is that the FAs didn't seem to understand the American terminology for some items--- i.e. one knew the term "brown bread," but didn't know that this also tends to be known as "whole wheat bread" by U.S. travelers.
Nothing about this is particularly awful, I suppose--- it just feels like more of a struggle to communicate in English, much less have a chat, with many of the FAs these days--- kind of like the feeling I have on some Japanese, Chinese, and Korean carriers.
Has anyone else noticed this?
On my last couple of trips (in F class), the change was so noticeable that I had trouble communicating in English with the FAs with respect to certain dining options and service requests. If noticed that if I phrased my dining preference in any way other than EXACTLY the way the meal items were listed on the menus, emphasizing key words (i.e. "noodles," "cold water", etc.) that a fair amount of confusion resulted. It wasn't that they didn't want to help me, they honestly just couldn't understand me when I asked questions like whether the eggs came with potatoes, if I could have some extra of a certain item, etc. unless I spoke in slow, stilted English.
A variation on this (which isn't such a big deal for me, but might be for some Americans), is that the FAs didn't seem to understand the American terminology for some items--- i.e. one knew the term "brown bread," but didn't know that this also tends to be known as "whole wheat bread" by U.S. travelers.
Nothing about this is particularly awful, I suppose--- it just feels like more of a struggle to communicate in English, much less have a chat, with many of the FAs these days--- kind of like the feeling I have on some Japanese, Chinese, and Korean carriers.
Has anyone else noticed this?
Then on another forum today someone wrote, "I got a ticket for my wife and I." He got a ticket for "I?"
Jun 2, 2011, 12:16 pm
#39
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Posts: 4,828
About a year ago, I was on flight from Europe to Beijing. I was in first class(upgraded from business). Just before landing, one of the three first class FAs handed me a card with her name and number printed on it. She also wrote her own cell number on it and the words "Please call me in Beijing if you need anything, I'd be glad to help. Have a great time... hope I can be part of it" Her English penmanship would put John Hancock to shame.
I thought she was interested in me personally or something... then I noticed that she gave the same card to the other 4 passengers as well. (all male) I chatted with another fellow first class passenger in immigration line. He said he also got the same card with the same writings on it. He told me that it was normal. I never did call... and to this day, I'm still wondering what she really meant, or would of done, if I did call.
I thought she was interested in me personally or something... then I noticed that she gave the same card to the other 4 passengers as well. (all male) I chatted with another fellow first class passenger in immigration line. He said he also got the same card with the same writings on it. He told me that it was normal. I never did call... and to this day, I'm still wondering what she really meant, or would of done, if I did call.
1. She wants your contact information in case she needs anything. For example, if she needs someone in London to do something for her or help her.
2. She is an part time prostitute.
3. She is looking for a husband, only has to be someone from a rich country.
4. She wants a free meal when you take her to a restaurant.
It says to call her if you are in Beijing. However, the flight is landing there. That would apply to all passengers, except those connecting.
Jun 2, 2011, 2:12 pm
#40
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,341
You must also cringe also when people use 'no worries' (not an American response, but perfectly fine, IMO) or, shudder, 'you bet' (e.g., in the northern Midwest region of the US). It's your prerogative, I suppose, much like punctuating a question with a period (oops, American English), er, full stop.
'Correct English', indeed.
Last edited by jjpb3; Jun 2, 2011 at 2:17 pm
Jun 2, 2011, 8:22 pm
#41
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Jun 4, 2011, 6:24 pm
#42
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 1,393
Jun 4, 2011, 7:06 pm
#43
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 52
wow... that was a long time ago! I remember my very first Cathay flight
back in the late 1970's. It was on a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar flying into Kai Tak
with heavy rain just before midnight. The plane went around TWICE before
finally landing on the third attempt. I was young and stupid and actually
thought that was the coolest landing ever! I got smacked on the head when
I said "can we do it again?"
I remember my very first Cathay flightback in the late 1970's. It was on a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar flying into Kai Tak
with heavy rain just before midnight. The plane went around TWICE before
finally landing on the third attempt. I was young and stupid and actually
thought that was the coolest landing ever!
I got smacked on the head whenI said "can we do it again?"
Jun 5, 2011, 7:14 am
#44
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On a someone related topic, flying within the U.S. has been odd because of native speakers of English. Since when did the response to "thank you" become "no problem," rather than "you are welcome."
Then on another forum today someone wrote, "I got a ticket for my wife and I." He got a ticket for "I?"
Then on another forum today someone wrote, "I got a ticket for my wife and I." He got a ticket for "I?"
What the ? What is a 'uh huh' ? They can't even say 'you're welcome'.. ?
Then you get aboard CX from NY , expecting the same . But even with bad english, 'You're welcome' goes a long way!
Jun 5, 2011, 10:36 am
#45
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 52
Actually no.. most people I speak to .. and that includes many service personnel , all reply from my "thank you " with a 'uh-huh' ... ??
What the ? What is a 'uh huh' ? They can't even say 'you're welcome'.. ?
Then you get aboard CX from NY , expecting the same . But even with bad english, 'You're welcome' goes a long way!
What the ? What is a 'uh huh' ? They can't even say 'you're welcome'.. ?
Then you get aboard CX from NY , expecting the same . But even with bad english, 'You're welcome' goes a long way!
complied a list of the responses to "Thank you!" that I frequent hear:
(in no particular order.... only from employees of airlines/hotels/airports/etc)
(1) "no problem"
(2) "no problemo"
(3) "you betcha!"
(4) "Thank you!" (same as the original "Thank you"
)(5) "cool"
(6) "my pleasure"
(7) "alrighty"
(9) "super!"
(10) "oki doki"
(11) "ok dude!"
(12) "just doing my job!"
(13) "noted!"
(14) "welcome" (not "you're welcome")
(15) thumbs up, no verbal response
(16) "you got it" (?)
(17) "ooohhhh.... you're sweet" (???)
(18) "is that my tip?" (!)
(19) ".....ing!"(in a nice way, I suppose)
There's a lot more, but I won't take up more space here.... in short, the
English language skills(or etiquette) in the US has really gone downhill
in the last 20 years.