Cathay Pacific Fires Crew Members Over Viral Clip Alleging Discrimination Against Non-English Speakers

Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific has terminated the employment of three cabin crew members following an accusation via viral video post on social media made by a passenger regarding discriminatory behaviour towards non-English speakers, triggering anger in China.

Airline CEO Ronald Lam on Tuesday issued an apology to the passenger and the community regarding the incident that took place on a flight from Chengdu in southwest China to Hong Kong on Sunday. Lam reaffirmed the airline’s firm stance of “zero tolerance” towards any significant violation of its policies and code of conduct.

“There is no compromise for such violations,” he said in a statement.

The dismissal occurred following a complaint made by a passenger through an online post, alleging that certain cabin crew members displayed disrespect towards passengers who did not speak English or Cantonese, which is widely spoken in Hong Kong. The individual, who was seated near the crew’s resting area, overheard them expressing dissatisfaction about customers.

“During the whole flight, not a moment went by when I was not distressed or angry,” the passenger wrote.

According to the online post, the cabin crew members were accused of mocking passengers who mistakenly used the terms “blanket” and “carpet” interchangeably in English. The crew were alleged to have shown impatience when someone sought assistance in English.

An audio clip posted on social media featured a comment saying, “If you cannot say blanket in English, you cannot have it,” which was followed by laughter. The recording then continued with the statement, “Carpet is on the floor.”

Cathay Pacific issued an apology on the Chinese social media platform Weibo on Monday, acknowledging the “unpleasant experience” endured by passengers on the flight. However, the apology did not succeed in calming the anger sparked by the passenger’s post.

On Tuesday, the overseas edition of the official Chinese People’s Daily newspaper expressed strong criticism towards Cathay Pacific through its Weibo account, in response to the incident. The post stated, “It appears that the company culture still upholds a sense of superiority that reveres foreigners and respects Hong Kongers while looking down upon mainlanders.” It urged the airline to introspect and implement measures to put an end to this detrimental trend.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee, expressed his disappointment upon learning about the disrespectful behavior that harmed the relationship between Hong Kong and mainland Chinese residents. He conveyed to Cathay Pacific’s CEO that the incident was of grave concern and should not be repeated.

Lam Sai-hung, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, stated on Wednesday that he had conveyed his deep concerns to Cathay Pacific and urged the management to swiftly enhance the company’s services. He expressed his distress over the crew members’ “inappropriate comments” and deemed the incident a severe violation of Hong Kong’s reputation for service excellence.

Cathay Pacific is currently in the process of rebuilding its business, having faced significant financial losses due to stringent travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic. In March, the airline announced a loss of 6.55 billion Hong Kong dollars ($834.4 million) for the year 2022, representing an 18.5% increase compared to 2021. These losses were primarily attributed to the strict entry restrictions imposed on the city during the first half of the previous year.

(With inputs from AP)