Spicy B

On my flight JFK-ICN in J around mid-April. Mid-flight, when the FA was walking around handing out bottles of water to drink, I noticed that the FA handed something else to the gentleman next to me. (Later, I saw it was Jeju Natural Mineral Water) I was wondering, why didn't I get one of these, but the passenger next to me was offered one?

When I went to the lav, I saw a few bottles available in the galley, so I grabbed one. I realized it was a spray for your face and I wasn't too bothered not getting one, but the principle that I wasn't offered it kinda bothered me. Anybody else have this happen to them?

I'm not Korean, but I guess my seatmate was since he was talking to the FA's in Korean, and using the Korean pages in the menu to order.

skchin

If you want one, ask for one...

trooper

If you don't speak Korean then you couldn't know if he HAD specifically asked for it.. right? What if he had?

Sorry.. but IMO the D word gets thrown around way too quickly these days...

Actually, perhaps it WAS "discrimination"... the other pax might have been a top level elite on KE's FF program and received special treatment as a result (or to put it another way.. been positively discriminated for).

I receive nice little extras on NZ... so I suppose another pax could call THAT discrimination.. and be technically correct... but it isn't always a "bad" or "wrong" thing!

I suspect however your use of it was with the pejorative meaning...

Spicy B

He didn't say anything when the water & sprayers were handed out. It was when he was ordering his meal that I noticed the Korean.

It is very possible that he was a high level elite. Also, I was on a DL award ticket on KE metal, so that probably wasn't in my favor either.

MegatopLover

In my experience, they hand out the Jeju spray water cans to female pax, and males have to ask for them, or pick up one in the female lavs. I always ask for the sprayers because I really love them, to the point that I keep them and take them on other airlines (such as DL) that don't offer moisturizing spray. Sometimes I get looks, such as on MH today, but my skin thanks me.

As for why one male passenger would be given the spray and another not, I could only guess. Maybe this gentleman was known to the FA's as someone who liked the sprayers.

mainbill

If you felt you were wronged, why didn't you confront the FA right at that time instead of telling us your feelings were hurt?
Personally, I think you need to man up or just suck it up if you can't do anything about it.
Just don't dwell on it afterwards.

Pathfinder813

Are you asian?

thekidisback

maybe the passenger had requested it? i wouldn't worry too much about it. water is water.

Spicy B

Yes I am Asian. When I was wandering around Seoul a few years ago, I was mistaken for a Korean a few times. I guess I could pass for one, though my last name is a giveaway that I'm not.

The gentleman next to me didn't say anything, I'm pretty sure all he did was nod when she handed him the bottle of drinking water. Then the sprayer came next.

No biggie. I was just curious if anybody has seen or encountered this before.

sunrider101

I'm Korean national, and i don't always receive water spray in economy seats. Sometimes I do.. sometimes I don't. I have seen it being offered to others (mostly female) around me, and that's when i also ask for one.

skchin

For the spirit of FT, if it's free ask for one!