from the standard
Late VIP arrival in upgrade storm
Dennis Chong
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Cathay Pacific staff union has demanded that management explain the upgrading of a government official who turned up late with his family and allegedly abused ground staff.
The union also alleges Hong Kong Monetary Authority senior manager Brian Chin Tsang-kung struck a member of staff who was trying to restore order.
Chin and Cathay Pacific deny the accusations with the official claiming they turned up late because his son had a stomach ache.
According to the union, the family of four arrived at the departure gate on Monday morning just four minutes before the aircraft was due to depart for Kuala Lumpur.
The bags that they had already checked in were being unloaded at the time.
The union alleges Chin and his son became offensive when they heard the next flight was four hours later. According to an internal report by Stanley Chan, a member of ground staff, Chin and his son swore at staff. Chan also claimed he was hit on the hand, but his managers stopped him from making a police report.
He said he was shocked to see Chin and his family put in business class when they took the later flight and provided with a limousine service on arrival in Malaysia.
A Cathay spokeswoman said they were upgraded through appropriate procedures. She added there is no evidence that anyone was hit, and no one stopped Chan from reporting to police.
According to an airline source, Chan has not reported for duty since the incident.
"It is a passenger's responsibility to arrive at the gate 20 minutes before departure," said Dora Lai Yuk-sim, chairwoman of Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants' Union.
The union is one of the company's biggest employee associations with around 6,000 members. "We would like to have an explanation why, following what was claimed to be verbal abuse, the passenger was given an upgrade and a limousine service," Lai said.
She added the company has banned staff from discussing the case with the media.
There are no clear guidelines on the upgrading of passengers, said Lai, with the decision being left to the duty manager.
A letter will be sent to management demanding an explanation and urging clearer guidelines on how to handle similar incidents.
An HKMA spokeswoman said Chin is on vacation and the matter is being investigated.
More than 700 people have gone on Facebook to support Chan.
"There is justice. He will pay the price," one message said.
Chin was previously an investigator with the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Just as a note, stanley (the ground staff) was struck by the passenger, and he hasnt shown up to work since the incident.