Airlines in trouble because flight attendants mock Chinese passengers for not knowing English

Cathay Pacific CEO Ronald Lam apologized in a statement on Tuesday and said the airline has "zero tolerance" for employees who violate the company's policies and code of conduct.

Earlier, a recording of the alleged incident on a flight from Chengdu (China) to Hong Kong on Sunday was "reported" by a passenger on a Chinese social media platform.

In the recording, a flight attendant can be heard sneering: "If you can't say 'blanket' in English, you can't have it." This is followed by loud laughter. A flight attendant is also accused of sarcastically mocking a passenger who asked for "carpet" instead of "blanket."

"The carpet is on the floor, feel free to… lie on it," this person complained.

Since then, Chinese public opinion has been boiling.

Tiếp viên Hồng Kông mỉa mai khách Trung Quốc không biết tiếng Anh, hãng bay khốn đốn - Ảnh 1. — Chinese social media continuously criticizes Hong Kong airline

Mr Lam told news.com.au that the investigation into the incident had concluded and that the three crew members involved had been terminated in line with company policy and that the incident had been a “valuable lesson” for the airline.

“It is important that we ensure that all Cathay Pacific employees are respectful of customers from different cultures and backgrounds, and that we deliver quality service consistently across all the markets we serve,” said Mr Lam.

On Thursday, Mr. Lam wrote a memo to staff, explaining that the incident had hindered the airline's recovery and caused significant damage to its image.

"The incident has been widely reported in mainland Chinese and Hong Kong media, causing damage to the image of Hong Kong and Cathay," he wrote.

Meanwhile, authorities in Hong Kong have issued a statement following the incident.

Transport and Logistics Minister Lam Sai-hung said he was "distressed by the inappropriate comments" made by Cathay Pacific crew members. "I have expressed my deep concerns to Cathay Pacific and asked the management to improve their service immediately."

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