Treated Differently as an Asian Passenger
Sep 14, 2019, 7:10 am
#3
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I haven’t had this in UA, but plenty of times on AA. (Although I rarely fly UA these days...trying to move from AA to Delta, but difficult unless I want to add connections in my travel plans.)
Sep 14, 2019, 7:15 am
#4
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Are the FAs at the door the same ones as you have interacted on board? For example, if you're seated in FC, does the FC ignore you when deplaning? If it's another FA, that FA might be assuming that you don't speak English.
Sep 14, 2019, 7:25 am
#5
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Maybe silence is better than this though:
Sep 14, 2019, 7:52 am
#8
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Yes, I have observed OP's assertion, a lot.
I have seen it the other way, recently on a regional UX flight - EWR to CVG. Apparently a large contention of Asian travelers on the flight, FA greeted each of them; however, no responses whatsoever from almost all of them.
I have seen it the other way, recently on a regional UX flight - EWR to CVG. Apparently a large contention of Asian travelers on the flight, FA greeted each of them; however, no responses whatsoever from almost all of them.
Sep 14, 2019, 7:59 am
#10
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As an Asian American man in his 30s, I haven’t noticed different treatment by FAs because of my race (though I’m also not looking out for it).
I’m based in New York and only fly UA domestically since they are the only airline that flies to SNA non-stop from the NYC area.
One time, while flying HKG-EWR on UA180, I handed a FA my water bottle to be filled with water. It was a clear plastic water bottle (as opposed to an insulated metal bottle). The FA handed my water bottle back to me filled with hot water. I was surprised... because I asked for water (which, in my mind, would be room temperature water... if I wanted hot water, I would’ve asked for hot water). I told the FA I didn’t want hot water, I just wanted water at room temperature or cold water. She was like, “oh!” and somehow made it out to be my fault.
I think most of her Asian passengers in the past have asked for hot water, so naturally, she would assume that I also wanted hot water because I am Asian. I chalked that encounter up to habit.
Another time, while flying SNA-SFO on UX in F, the FA serving our cabin didn’t believe I was over 21 and refused to serve me wine. I was 28 at the time, had left my ID in my backpack, and wasn’t going to get out of my seat just to prove to her my age. I know they’re required to ask for your ID when you look under the age of 35, but that experience did leave a bad taste in my mouth (I was on my way to Paris and wanted to treat myself!). She might not have asked a 28 year old white guy for his ID, but this is definitely an instance where the “Asian don’t raisin” euphemism can definitely work against you! After that incident, my ID is always handy, though I’m only ever carded on the west coast.
Nowadays, FAs will usually acknowledge me as I’m exiting the aircraft, but it’s probably because I’m more inclined to speak up (my IFE isn’t working! The internet isn’t working! My ‘vegetarian meal’ consisted of lettuce and slices of lemon... what the hell?!).
I’d also draw the distinction between foreign born Asian Americans who immigrated to the U.S. later in their lives; Asian Americans who came to the U.S. when they were young; and Asian Americans who are born in the United States. Most Asian Americans are from the first two categories and may experience more discrimination.
I’m based in New York and only fly UA domestically since they are the only airline that flies to SNA non-stop from the NYC area.
One time, while flying HKG-EWR on UA180, I handed a FA my water bottle to be filled with water. It was a clear plastic water bottle (as opposed to an insulated metal bottle). The FA handed my water bottle back to me filled with hot water. I was surprised... because I asked for water (which, in my mind, would be room temperature water... if I wanted hot water, I would’ve asked for hot water). I told the FA I didn’t want hot water, I just wanted water at room temperature or cold water. She was like, “oh!” and somehow made it out to be my fault.
I think most of her Asian passengers in the past have asked for hot water, so naturally, she would assume that I also wanted hot water because I am Asian. I chalked that encounter up to habit.
Another time, while flying SNA-SFO on UX in F, the FA serving our cabin didn’t believe I was over 21 and refused to serve me wine. I was 28 at the time, had left my ID in my backpack, and wasn’t going to get out of my seat just to prove to her my age. I know they’re required to ask for your ID when you look under the age of 35, but that experience did leave a bad taste in my mouth (I was on my way to Paris and wanted to treat myself!). She might not have asked a 28 year old white guy for his ID, but this is definitely an instance where the “Asian don’t raisin” euphemism can definitely work against you! After that incident, my ID is always handy, though I’m only ever carded on the west coast.
Nowadays, FAs will usually acknowledge me as I’m exiting the aircraft, but it’s probably because I’m more inclined to speak up (my IFE isn’t working! The internet isn’t working! My ‘vegetarian meal’ consisted of lettuce and slices of lemon... what the hell?!).
I’d also draw the distinction between foreign born Asian Americans who immigrated to the U.S. later in their lives; Asian Americans who came to the U.S. when they were young; and Asian Americans who are born in the United States. Most Asian Americans are from the first two categories and may experience more discrimination.
Last edited by NYC2SGN; Sep 14, 2019 at 8:08 am
Sep 14, 2019, 8:06 am
#13
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On Asiana I would attribute the difference to the observation that you're apparently male and your wife is apparently female. In Korea, men are treated much better than women in many situations.
Sep 14, 2019, 8:18 am
#14
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I'm a white dude who did an expat assignment in China last year. Believe it not many places would give me a fork even though I have reasonable skill with chop sticks. And I had to ask to get non room temperature beer. Oh the horror.
Maybe they don't say good bye because you don't engage them. Try smiling and give a head nod and you'll get a hello or good bye every time.
Maybe they don't say good bye because you don't engage them. Try smiling and give a head nod and you'll get a hello or good bye every time.
Sep 14, 2019, 8:28 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2017
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As someone who stands at the door saying goodbye, I try to say something to almost everyone. Occasionally I do take a brief timeout especially with certain passengers, who for reasons I don't fully get, walk up the aisle and out the door without so much as a lookup. Those passengers are less likely to get at "Buh Bye", "thanks for flying with us", "have a nice day" etc.
If you walk up, make eye contact and say something, anything, I guarantee you almost everyone in my industry will say something back to you. So I would ask the OP, forget about race for a second, what is YOUR behavior as you walk up the aisle towards those standing there? That would give us more information about what might be going on.
If you walk up, make eye contact and say something, anything, I guarantee you almost everyone in my industry will say something back to you. So I would ask the OP, forget about race for a second, what is YOUR behavior as you walk up the aisle towards those standing there? That would give us more information about what might be going on.