Politeness
Aug 26, 2019, 3:44 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 145
Politeness
Has anyone noticed (and/or felt weird?) that CX flight attendants will hand you things (hot towels, amenity kits, immigration cards, drinks, whatever) and then they will say "thank you" as you take the items? Is this maybe standard CX procedure, a Hong Kong cultural thing, or simply me hallucinating?
(This isn't by any means a complaint - I, uh, felt like starting a thread, so please yell at me for future reference if this doesn't pass the useful/amusing threshold.)
(This isn't by any means a complaint - I, uh, felt like starting a thread, so please yell at me for future reference if this doesn't pass the useful/amusing threshold.)
Aug 26, 2019, 5:13 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: HKG
Programs: AA 3MM EXP, SQ Solitaire, LH SEN, CX DM, Hyatt CC, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 3,177
This is a cultural thing for sure.. A lot of HKers do that, myself included.. Its like a way to acknowledge the person for noticing and reciprocating the service performed..
Aug 26, 2019, 7:58 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: MP, BR
Posts: 375
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
Aug 26, 2019, 8:21 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,674
No. It's more like HK people felt they should say something to the person receiving the item/favor but are unsure as to what they should say. E.g. in English you can say "Here you go" but from a service perspective there isn't really an equivalent in Cantonese or may come off as rude. A person may also come off as superficial if they say something like "here you go, please enjoy". Hence the "thank you".
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
Aug 26, 2019, 11:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Cathay Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 683
Croferm wrote:
"Has anyone noticed (and/or felt weird?) that CX flight attendants will hand you things (hot towels, amenity kits, immigration cards, drinks, whatever) and then they will say "thank you" as you take the items? Is this maybe standard CX procedure, a Hong Kong cultural thing, or simply me hallucinating?
(This isn't by any means a complaint - I, uh, felt like starting a thread, so please yell at me for future reference if this doesn't pass the useful/amusing threshold.)"
This has nothing to do with CX or directly Hong Kong.
Saying 'thank you' in this context is British and its thus not surprising that it is in common use also in Hong Kong.
"Has anyone noticed (and/or felt weird?) that CX flight attendants will hand you things (hot towels, amenity kits, immigration cards, drinks, whatever) and then they will say "thank you" as you take the items? Is this maybe standard CX procedure, a Hong Kong cultural thing, or simply me hallucinating?
(This isn't by any means a complaint - I, uh, felt like starting a thread, so please yell at me for future reference if this doesn't pass the useful/amusing threshold.)"
This has nothing to do with CX or directly Hong Kong.
Saying 'thank you' in this context is British and its thus not surprising that it is in common use also in Hong Kong.
Aug 27, 2019, 3:11 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: CX Gold, KE Morning Calm, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 97
Croferm wrote:
"Has anyone noticed (and/or felt weird?) that CX flight attendants will hand you things (hot towels, amenity kits, immigration cards, drinks, whatever) and then they will say "thank you" as you take the items? Is this maybe standard CX procedure, a Hong Kong cultural thing, or simply me hallucinating?
(This isn't by any means a complaint - I, uh, felt like starting a thread, so please yell at me for future reference if this doesn't pass the useful/amusing threshold.)"
This has nothing to do with CX or directly Hong Kong.
Saying 'thank you' in this context is British and its thus not surprising that it is in common use also in Hong Kong.
"Has anyone noticed (and/or felt weird?) that CX flight attendants will hand you things (hot towels, amenity kits, immigration cards, drinks, whatever) and then they will say "thank you" as you take the items? Is this maybe standard CX procedure, a Hong Kong cultural thing, or simply me hallucinating?
(This isn't by any means a complaint - I, uh, felt like starting a thread, so please yell at me for future reference if this doesn't pass the useful/amusing threshold.)"
This has nothing to do with CX or directly Hong Kong.
Saying 'thank you' in this context is British and its thus not surprising that it is in common use also in Hong Kong.
So I guess its a both
Aug 27, 2019, 3:15 am
#9
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: CX Gold, KE Morning Calm, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 97
No. It's more like HK people felt they should say something to the person receiving the item/favor but are unsure as to what they should say. E.g. in English you can say "Here you go" but from a service perspective there isn't really an equivalent in Cantonese or may come off as rude. A person may also come off as superficial if they say something like "here you go, please enjoy". Hence the "thank you".
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
Do Jiah is more like that someone give you a gift then you reply Do Jiah
It has nothing to do with the formal thing/ honorific but the action/ context matter.
For example, when your boss help you to carry a bag/ documents, you will still say M-goi but not Do Jiah.
Aug 27, 2019, 10:16 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: New York, NY - USA
Programs: CX Diamond (DM)
Posts: 343
Does anyone have any insights into the training process for CX cabin crew? I've always wondered what it's like... the variety of information they must know is substantial.... everything from how to pair and pour wine correctly to lifesaving skills and emergency management. On top of that, they work in confined spaces for extended hours, are faced with passengers who are often cranky/tired/drunk, and are perpetually jet lagged... I couldn't do it. I just couldn't.
Aug 27, 2019, 7:36 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: TPE
Programs: CX Silver
Posts: 146
Aug 28, 2019, 6:29 am
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
No. It's more like HK people felt they should say something to the person receiving the item/favor but are unsure as to what they should say. E.g. in English you can say "Here you go" but from a service perspective there isn't really an equivalent in Cantonese or may come off as rude. A person may also come off as superficial if they say something like "here you go, please enjoy". Hence the "thank you".
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
The difference between M-goi and do jiah is do jiah is more formal (e.g. if you get a towel/drink from the FA m-goi is more appropriate as a token of thanks for a small task, while do jiah may be more appropriate when you get a birthday card signed by the FAs).
As a native speaker of American English, I would consider "here you go" to be very informal and somewhat rude in this context. To me "here you go" would be appropriate if someone is handing a beer to his buddy at an athletic event, but not by a premium cabin FA or staff in a fine dining restaurant or upscale hotel.
Aug 28, 2019, 9:04 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: MP, BR
Posts: 375
As a native speaker of American English, I would consider "here you go" to be very informal and somewhat rude in this context. To me "here you go" would be appropriate if someone is handing a beer to his buddy at an athletic event, but not by a premium cabin FA or staff in a fine dining restaurant or upscale hotel.
Aug 28, 2019, 11:59 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,436