Miserable flight with Chinese....
 

I have to say...I am pretty open to other cultures and experiences but my recent experience flying with a cabin full of mostly Chinese was utterly miserable.

They acted like the 9 hours flight was a chicken bus...running around the cabin...screaming from front to back having conversations over the heads of the whole cabin (many of us were trying to sleep)...setting up a card game in the middle seat of which I was on one aisle (then proceeded to try and play over the front of me from my side as well until I put a stop to it)...dropping things on my head and getting into the overhead every 15 minutes...interrupting and slowing the meal and drink service with their movements and inability to choose a dish...constantly irritating the non Chinese passengers with climbing, grabbing and pushing seats. Then when we landed while still moving on the active runway many of them were up getting bags out of the overhead. I thought the Russian FAs were going to have a stroke.

Unbelievable experience and one I will not ever voluntarily repeat...

If you think only the Chinese do this, you need to travel more. :D

I have seen a handful of people do this in other cultures(usually the people that are obviously from a village) but not the mass effort that occurred here.

I have traveled plenty just not in Asia...and I now realize I was better off that way.

Vesicle, I live in China and travel around Asia regularly, and it's really just the Chinese--mainland Chinese, specifically--that act this way on a regular basis. Some of them have never flown before, others have flown very little and not internationally. But that's no excuse for this behavior, as interestingly, on Chinese domestic flights, I rarely see any of the behaviors you described (except for getting up and unloading while the plane is still taxiing). Most of them DO know better. This is going to sound very politically incorrect, but my considerable experience with mainland Chinese is that in public situations, they are extremely selfish and simply do not care about being polite and considerate to others around them. Moreover, they typically respond only to overt directions and/or threats, particularly from "authority figures." The culture has just been programmed that way for so long. On an airline, usually a crew member's threat to have the police waiting for them at the destination will get them to shut up and back in their seats. (even if the threat is an empty one). I suspect that there was at least one big tour group on board your flight, and the FA's should have gone directly to the tour leader (they'd know who from the record/manifest) and demanded their assistance at getting things in hand.

It's too bad the FA's didn't get the situation under control, but I've seen that happen before on international flights to/from China. In practical terms, what this means is that if the FA's or flight crew doesn't do their job, and a polite but firm request from you to crew doesn't produce the desired effect, then you will need to scold, shame, yell, or shove back at the offending passengers directly. In English will be fine, they should get the message even if they do not understand the words.

In this Olympic year, the Chinese are really sensitive to their poor manners--both domestic and international--making them look like fools and bumpkins in the eyes of the world. I invite you, and anybody else with similar tales to tell, of posting in as many relevant online forums as you are willing to, especially if they have at least some Chinese readership.

Well I do have to admit my very short midland China internal flight was 'fairly' normal as you mentioned is your experience with domestic flights.

I also agree with your assessment of daily attitudes as I found Chinese to be extremely rude and selfish in general society and as much as I tried to just accept it as a part of culture it really bugged me to the point that I became aggressive myself just to survive the day and I hate being pushed to that point. I hated walking in public or going into large groups of people.

The bizarre contrast to that was in one on one business and social situations they were generally very quiet and respectful...

I did try screaming at one of the in flight party goers after he dropped food on my head yet again and that was met with a thousand sorries then him going right back to playing cards and eating over my head. I had to resort to a physical shove out of my space before the point sunk in...

Re the cabin crew they were just as frustrated as we were and since none of the party people spoke Russian or English the FAs had a real hard time controlling things...you could see the exasperation on their faces.

Yeah the Chinese can be pretty cutthroat.

Think of the Cultural Revolution 30 some odd years ago and it'll bring things into perspective (although I have my fits of rage at times, this usually helps), if you can't, read "Red China Blues" (it's a quick read). Having lived in Beijing for over a year, I'll tell you I've become much more aggressive (pushing, cutting in line etc) since there's really no way around it if you aren't willing to pay the extra bucks.

When my friends and I have spoken to some of the older generation, they really curse Mao and the Revolution. I've heard "before Mao, we used to line up and be polite" in a rant numerous times.

If you think the Chinese are bad in flight then you have not flown with Indians (I'm of Indian origin myself) and can vouch. Take an intl flight with many of us and you'll hear the annoying flight attendant bell being rung every 30 seconds, and pretty much everything else you described.

I do have to say, the best thing to do is to post your story and pretty much discuss with everyone you know who's of Chinese origin. Shame is a huge deterrent here, more so than anything else.

Although I must say your "China rant" is a short one that seems to be lacking in the anger department ;) and I was hoping for more. Everyone has days in which they rant about China (I know I do). Welcome to the club.

Keep in on 'ranting' - it feels good and is politically correct. But it won't change the behavior described. As China opens up more and becomes richer, there will be more and more people traveling internationally....eventually things will change....IMHO

Haha...honestly I was plenty angry and could have gone on and on complaining but I figured I was going to get blasted for being a racist or centrist.

I am actually shocked to find people agreeing with me...

Makes me feel a bit better as I have wondered at times if I AM a racist after having some pretty negative experiences with certain cultures.

I'll stick with the Finns...calm, quiet and respectful by day...only nuts at night when the booze flows :)

And dtsm I had no intent or allusion of changing anything...was just venting as I truly did not enjoy my experience in China.

Honestly, we all have days like that. Talk to any old China hand (something I most definitely am not). And even they talk about days in which they want to shoot everyone they see...

I was angry last night. Why? Because I wanted to go to Harbin with friends to see the Ice Festival. Being a poor student, I don't really have the funds to fly or take soft sleeper on the train, so I had to go to hard sleeper or soft seat (which many people go for as its a 12 hours ride). Well considering most train tickets can only be purchased four days in advance of departure (and not roundtrip mind you unless you're part of a tour which no one wants to do) at 7pm. This means you have to get to your travel agent at around 5pm and line up. So I did. And I waited. I was 3rd in line.

Well at 7pm we didn't start buying tickets because the agent's computer froze or stalled. I kid you not. They had to reboot and only at around 7:12 did they start selling tickets. The girl in front of me barely got her ticket. Me? Well I needed 3 tickets and only had a chance to get one. Not wanting to go alone, I said forget it (and some other choice words) and walked out.

One also has to remember that when buying such tickets, not only are there 1.6 billion people in China, but there are also touts and travel agents who will buy in bulk in order to fulfill their needs, or just to scalp. In other words, sometimes tickets are sold out in 2 minutes.

Many people I know have success taking slower trains or going to the station a few hours before the train leaves and buying the tickets touts and others have returned. I've never tried that though. Walking around trying to find scalpers also proved fruitless.

Final point, developing country means just that. Red tape, people not being used to flying/other activities that used to be reserved for the wealthy. It'll take some time.

Yep...when I was young and adventurous I liked to experience "living and traveling like a native"...that got old REALLY fast and to this day I do whatever I can within my budget to avoid the 'common peoples' routes" in developing places not because I think I am superior but simply because I cannot deal with that level of headache and frustration...I am too soft I guess.

I hear you about the money thing too...I envy the folks who travel all the time first class/business class and stay in 5 star hotels...I can't imagine having that much money to toss around.

Well the anger was out of my system in a few hours because I had a great dinner (at a dirty unliscenced neighborhood restaurant where I know the owner) with a friend and we ranted it out for 20 some minutes. Travelling like a true local would mean standing or sitting in hard seat ,something I have never done but would be unimaginabely uncomfortable, especially given what I have heard from friends (both Chinese and foreign). Usually those seats are easy enough to come by, especially unreserved standing ones... Busses in China, luxury ones, aren't bad and pretty cheap. As for "five star" hotels one on a decent budget can stay at them depending on the place. While something like the Golden Flower Shangrila in Xi'an isn't a real five star place, that's what it's rated and the service is great. And I have seen deals to stay there for less than 100 USD/night. Still too expensive for me, but far within the reach of many. Ditto for plenty of properties that are "4-5 star" and Chinese owned and/or a little older here in Beijing.

It's amazing how I and many others just shrug our shoulders on a daily basis and say, "That's China"

Fly F Class in a sky suite, greeted at the gate by an airline rep, wisked away in an S Class Mercedes to the Pen, Shangri-la, GH, IC, MO....executive /club floor suite. Best tickets to the opera, 5 star restauarants, guided tours, ...shopping at Prada, LV, Fendi.

I wonder if this is really experiencing China?

Maybe not, but I'd sure give it try,on somebody else's dime.

And I suggested you vent some more - no flame intended :D

After 7 years here, I've found the secret to not letting China and the Chinese drive you insane is to pick your everyday battles wisely, stand up for yourself if you need to, learn whatever "system" applies to common tasks and game it to your advantage if possible, then don't sweat the rest. Regardless, I still have Bad China Days where I go home, slam the door to the world outside, and rant to anyone who will listen. Then get over it and go out the next day to do battle again. It's true that the application of sums of money can buy you the VIP treatment and the use of local intermediaries and service providers that insulate you against much of the everyday frustrations of getting personal tasks accomplished, but this is true in more places than just China.

Sometimes though, it's more satisfying to apply the direct bit*h-slaps yourself. Case in point: in December I was at the flagship Olympic merchandise store in Wangfujing buying souvenir Christmas presents to take back to USA. Was only person waiting at cashier counter while they changed out staff and cash drawer, so I was legitimately next. A Chinese guy tried a flanking maneuver and inserted his hand with cash and price slip, in front of me towards the cashier. I grabbed his hand and cash, and flung them away, giving him a very loud scolding (in Mandarin): "You would act with these bad manners and shame your family and your Motherland?!" I guarantee I was loud and angry enough that the closest 100 people to us all heard and turned withering gazes from me to the perpetrator, who gave an embarassed grin, lowered his ears and tail, and took his place at back of customer line that was now forming behind me. HA! Words cannot express how good that felt! In China, you take your victories where you can.

...and which part of this was different from any other country? That's what I've been doing in the US! :D