Weido_Salt: You're 100% right. The number of times I've operated iinto CDG only to be confronted by the French language. This greatly reduces situational awareness. The ability to listen to what and how ATC are manoeuvering the aircraft about you is lost and hence your ability to prepare accordingly.
Cultural differences, language differences and airline cultures are meant to be regulated in the form of ICAO / FAA / JAA procedures, rules and regulations. Those in charge choose to ignore such practices - nationalistic pride?
When breaches of minimum standards becomes frequent, when those frequencies become more often and regular, they then become part of the airline culture and therefore become defended as the norm. (Eg smoking in the cockpit).
At least the likes of Capt Sulley (Hudson A320 Skipper) has the fortitude and is offered the stage to speak out. Will it change the practices in the US of cost cutting and poor training? Same in India, same in the above mentioned scenario. If we don't openly discuss such issues then we are part of the problem.