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Fiona Sun

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised and banned two Cantonese-speaking passengers after a mainland Chinese traveller complained they insulted her and made discriminatory remarks during a flight earlier this week.
According to a post uploaded by the Mandarin-speaking passenger on social media platform Xiaohongshu on Saturday, the row broke out on a flight from Hong Kong to London on Tuesday when she reclined her seat, which led the couple behind to accuse her of obstructing their view of the in-flight entertainment.
Her video post included scenes of the confrontation.
The couple, who spoke Cantonese, also jostled her seat, kicked her arm and verbally attacked her with slurs, she said.
Referring to the female Cantonese-speaker, the passenger said: “After she discovered that my Cantonese was not very fluent, she started to attack me with very discriminatory language, such as calling me a ‘mainland girl’.”
She said she asked the cabin crew for assistance but a flight attendant only suggested she adjust her seat back.
“I was shocked because it was not meal time, but she asked me to compromise, so I rejected the suggestion,” she said.
The couple’s behaviour triggered disapproval from other passengers, with some heard voicing their criticism in both Cantonese and Mandarin in the video.
“It’s such an embarrassment to us Hong Kong people,” one passenger said.
Another said: “Don’t call yourself a Hongkonger.”
While the mainland passenger was eventually offered a seat change, she found the cabin crew’s handling of the incident lacking.
“What if no one spoke for me? I had to keep tolerating it?” she said.
“As such a big airline, Cathay Pacific doesn’t know how to deal with such disputes? Shouldn’t discriminating against mainland China be punished?”


In a reply to the Post, Cathay confirmed on Saturday the incident occurred on flight 253 on September 17 and apologised to those affected.
It said the in-flight service manager issued two “serious” verbal warnings to the two disruptive passengers involved, adding the pair would be denied boarding any future Cathay flights in accordance with listed rules.
“The safety and well-being of our customers and crew are our highest priorities. We maintain a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that compromises aviation safety or disrespects fellow customers,” it said.
Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, who is also a lawyer, said Cathay made the right decision in banning the couple, but urged the carrier to improve its handling of such incidents as they occurred.
“The passenger should not be asked to change seats, which would only make the two behind her think they were doing something right,” she said.
Kong said Cathay should have a protocol for handling disputes during flights and apply it to all passengers regardless of their nationalities.
“As an international carrier, it should have one set of standards only and apply it to all,” she said.
Last year, Cathay fired three cabin crew members and issued multiple apologies after complaints emerged of staff insulting and discriminating against non-English speakers.
The move was triggered by an accusation from a Mandarin-speaking traveller that some cabin crew members had mocked non-English-speaking passengers aboard a flight from Chengdu in Sichuan province to Hong Kong.
The incident was widely reported by mainland media, and some internet users urged the carrier to sack the flight attendants involved while others shared what they said were their own experiences of suffering discrimination by Cathay’s cabin crew.


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Cathay Pacific

Cathay confirmed on Saturday the incident occurred on flight CX253 on September 17 and apologised to those affected. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Cathay Pacific discrimination scandal: Hong Kong equality watchdog warns cabin crew may have violated racial discrimination law indirectly

Cathay Pacific’s cabin crew may have violated the discrimination ordinance, according to Hong Kong’s equality watchdog. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Equal Opportunities Commission head Ricky Chu spoke about the issue on a radio programme. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Some residents took to local radio to defend the sacked Cathay staff. Photo: Sam Tsang

Cathay Pacific fires 3 cabin crew members accused of insulting non-English-speaking passengers

Cathay Pacific has fired three cabin crew members after complaints emerged of staff insulting passengers. Photo: Felix Wong

A screen capture of Cathay’s apology on its mainland social media account. Photo: Cathay Pacific Weibo

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Row erupts after mainland passenger reclines her seat, causing couple behind her to jostle her seat, kick her arm and verbally attack her with slurs


Row erupts after mainland passenger reclines her seat, causing couple behind her to jostle her seat, kick her arm and verbally attack her with slurs.
