Rant: Asia F/A's vs US F/A's

[L.Skywalker]

Just returned from a month in Asia: 5 legs, 4 carriers(all Asian), 3 countries. My experience in the cabin was nothing like any experience(in the last decade at best) that I've had in any cabin, with any cabin crew, on any US flag carrier. I now know why Cathay is heralded as the best from a passenger perspective, and did I just see a post on AA being the worst? No surprise, the old self entitled hags on mainline just don't care, because they're entitled! On the contrary the Asian crews will give almost anything(yes!), I just cant figure out why? Is it the pure lack of entitlement, fear of getting canned, or is it simply in the culture? My study will continue as I fully intend on another trip to Asia. So with that I give you this: http://www.wimp.com/coolestflight/

 

[J.Otto]

Just returned from a month in Asia: 5 legs, 4 carriers(all Asian), 3 countries. My experience in the cabin was nothing like any experience(in the last decade at best) that I've had in any cabin, with any cabin crew, on any US flag carrier. I now know why Cathay is heralded as the best from a passenger perspective, and did I just see a post on AA being the worst? No surprise, the old self entitled hags on mainline just don't care, because they're entitled! On the contrary the Asian crews will give almost anything(yes!), I just cant figure out why? Is it the pure lack of entitlement, fear of getting canned, or is it simply in the culture? My study will continue as I fully intend on another trip to Asia. So with that I give you this: http://www.wimp.com/coolestflight/

That was a funny video!

 

[rettofly]

Just returned from a month in Asia: 5 legs, 4 carriers(all Asian), 3 countries. My experience in the cabin was nothing like any experience(in the last decade at best) that I've had in any cabin, with any cabin crew, on any US flag carrier. I now know why Cathay is heralded as the best from a passenger perspective, and did I just see a post on AA being the worst? No surprise, the old self entitled hags on mainline just don't care, because they're entitled! On the contrary the Asian crews will give almost anything(yes!), I just cant figure out why? Is it the pure lack of entitlement, fear of getting canned, or is it simply in the culture? My study will continue as I fully intend on another trip to Asia. So with that I give you this: http://www.wimp.com/coolestflight/

I vote for culture and work ethic.

 

[CX880]

Just returned from a month in Asia: 5 legs, 4 carriers(all Asian), 3 countries. My experience in the cabin was nothing like any experience(in the last decade at best) that I've had in any cabin, with any cabin crew, on any US flag carrier. I now know why Cathay is heralded as the best from a passenger perspective, and did I just see a post on AA being the worst? No surprise, the old self entitled hags on mainline just don't care, because they're entitled! On the contrary the Asian crews will give almost anything(yes!), I just cant figure out why? Is it the pure lack of entitlement, fear of getting canned, or is it simply in the culture? My study will continue as I fully intend on another trip to Asia. So with that I give you this: http://www.wimp.com/coolestflight/

Besides the obvious things like culture and labor rules it also has to do with the fact that the FAs here have been working for 20 30 40 50 years at their airline. You show me an FA that's been working for that long that cares about anything other than hiding in the back of the plane collecting that credit hour and ill show you a pink leprechaun

 

[Dumb Pilot]

ANA, JAL, KLM, Cathay to name a few, all have senior cabin attendants in their ranks and quite the opposite is true, they are setting an example to the younger C/A's.

 

[Freight Dog]

That's what you get when you over-stress how FA's are there for safety and totally marginalize and play down the service aspect. This is not to take anything away from FA safety training and their role, but there definitely needs to be a lot more stress on the service aspect.

US flight attendants stand to learn A LOT from their counterparts overseas.

 

[macdu]

Is it the pure lack of entitlement, fear of getting canned, or is it simply in the culture?

It's all three. I really hesitate to post on this issue on this forum but since you seem to ask for an honest answer I will offer my insight. First you state you were in Asia for a month. That should have given you some clue of the huge cultural differences. I will not tap them all here but there is a wide gulf between east and west even today. I have been in China now three years and it still catches me off guard almost everyday.
I can only speak from my experience in China were I see women marginalized daily. Oh you see men and women working together here and there, you see women in management positions yes, but all the real power positions are owned by men.
This is an interesting topic but in short I think it boils down to several issues for China at least.
*Perspective, China is only 64 years old in modern terms(1949). It's taken over 100 years for American women to achieve their equality through laws and cultural change.
*1.3 Billion Chinese scrambling for everything.
*Hundreds of millions of young Chinese women looking for financial security. Translation; a job or a man(husband) with a good job.
Then there is the plain old very obvious chauvinism that exists here in China. I have seen leaders(that is what your superiors are referred to here)show up at dinners with hand picked f/a for their desert. Pat girls on the butt, yell berate and just generally abuse. This is all tolerated or even encouraged.
These girls will be shown the door by age 30 if they haven't found a husband by then or move to a desk job somewhere. If a passenger doesn't like the way they look or is not polite enough in their opinion and they complain to the company they can be fired. Something else often overlooked is the one child policy here in China. If the girl is an only child she may be working to help out the parents too. She needs this job so she is going to do whatever it take to tow the line. I could go on and on.
On a personal note recently I was behind a United f/a heading out of the Beijing terminal recently. Both of us heading to our respective shuttles. She, I am guessing is 65 years old and at least 65lbs over weight towing about 100lbs. of what I don't know. I think what on earth are you still doing this craziness for? I would love to know.

 

[jonjuan]

Is it the pure lack of entitlement, fear of getting canned, or is it simply in the culture?

It's all three. I really hesitate to post on this issue on this forum but since you seem to ask for an honest answer I will offer my insight. First you state you were in Asia for a month. That should have given you some clue of the huge cultural differences. I will not tap them all here but there is a wide gulf between east and west even today. I have been in China now three years and it still catches me off guard almost everyday.
I can only speak from my experience in China were I see women marginalized daily. Oh you see men and women working together here and there, you see women in management positions yes, but all the real power positions are owned by men.
This is an interesting topic but in short I think it boils down to several issues for China at least.
*Perspective, China is only 64 years old in modern terms(1949). It's taken over 100 years for American women to achieve their equality through laws and cultural change.
*1.3 Billion Chinese scrambling for everything.
*Hundreds of millions of young Chinese women looking for financial security. Translation; a job or a man(husband) with a good job.
Then there is the plain old very obvious chauvinism that exists here in China. I have seen leaders(that is what your superiors are referred to here)show up at dinners with hand picked f/a for their desert. Pat girls on the butt, yell berate and just generally abuse. This is all tolerated or even encouraged.
These girls will be shown the door by age 30 if they haven't found a husband by then or move to a desk job somewhere. If a passenger doesn't like the way they look or is not polite enough in their opinion and they complain to the company they can be fired. Something else often overlooked is the one child policy here in China. If the girl is an only child she may be working to help out the parents too. She needs this job so she is going to do whatever it take to tow the line. I could go on and on.
On a personal note recently I was behind a United f/a heading out of the Beijing terminal recently. Both of us heading to our respective shuttles. She, I am guessing is 65 years old and at least 65lbs over weight towing about 100lbs. of what I don't know. I think what on earth are you still doing this craziness for? I would love to know.

Yep-a husband can also beat the snot out of his wife in China and nothing will be done. Had a bud who married a china gal a few years ago and brought her to the us. He was proud of saying "Watch this" as he clapped a couple of times and out came the beer.". I've seen dogs treated better.

 

[climbhappy]

i have a chinese girlfriend and she is a doll. men that slap any woman around is a coward.....re asian FAs....they recruit young ones...at shenzhen airines for example, you can see a new group of hires on any afternoon marching in camos, yes camos, doing drill.....they are schooled in obedience....even hair salon employees can be seen in the morning in formation like a squad getting a talking to before the day begins......they are trained to please and they speak very softly.....even the airport announcements re a gate change or delay are amazingly soothing...they end with "have a pleasant journey" in the soft voice...now think of a newark gate change on A concourse.

 

[Varmint]

Yep-a husband can also beat the snot out of his wife in China and nothing will be done. Had a bud who married a china gal a few years ago and brought her to the us. He was proud of saying "Watch this" as he clapped a couple of times and out came the beer.". I've seen dogs treated better.

They eat dogs in China. Skin them alive.