Asian Pax and Handbags????

[Sky_hi!]

Hi

I have a question regarding a cultural issue.

On my airline we receive groups of Asian pax every now and then. It never ceases to amaze me the reluctance they have for securing their handbags underneath the seat infront of them. They tie their bags to the seatbelt, to the arm rest, around the tray table, and around their own leg.They get very creative and quite often I have seen them try to hide bags behind their backs! Why is this?

I have heard a couple of reasons for this. One is that its bad luck in their culture to place bags on the floor and the other is that its considered rude to place bags on the floor.

??????

Can anyone perhaps clarify this for me and should I just suggest the overhead locker instead of underneath the seat infront????

:\

[CathayPacific]

Well! I'm an asian, I don't put my bag(s) on the floor, not because of the reason you mentioned above, but because I know the floor, every now and then, can be very dirty, as a passenger, you would never know who did something nasty on your seat or area! =)

[OZcabincrew]

but if that's the rules, then they have to follow them! it's said in PA's in both languages to put it on the floor or in the overhead locker, so they have to do one or the other, it's not an option with most airlines (is there a different policy with asian carriers?). and what's with Indonesians trying to bring everything on minus the kitchen sink, although it wouldn't surprise me if they tried it on boarding in the terminal! I've only ever noticed this with Indonesian passengers, generally everyone else tends to be within the luggage allowances?

Oz

[ricciricardo]

Perhaps it's the fear of losing it, after all we guys are pretty protective of our wallets and, no doubt, the ladies carry some important stuff in their purses!
Surely in some asian countries bag snatching is rife!

[blueloo]

Many Asians, especially the Japanese spend the $$ on the real brand hand bags - maybe they are worried that the cabin crew who only buy the fake bags will steal their real ones!



:}

[OZcabincrew]

haha, true i guess, but i wonder what they'll be thinking is more important when they're trying to get out of their row during an evacuation while tripping over 3 or 4 handbags which are in their way, the handbags or their lives?

Rules are rules after all and so the saying goes, rules are made to be broken, but i think this one should remain intact. At the end of the day though you can only do so much and once you've sat down strapped into your crew seat they're probably back on their laps again, so....................

Oz

[striparella]

I reckon it's because the handbags are probably quite expensive handbags and don't want any dodgy people having a chance to nick them.

[flapsforty]

The gems this forums can generate! :ok:
Sky_hi!, it´s a matter I´ve wondered about (and done battle with ;) ) for all the years I´ve been flying. What an excellent question.
CathayPacific, thanks for that particular insight; it sounds like a good explanation and one that has never ocurred to me before you spelling it out.

When transporting large groups of elderly Japanese pax day in day out, I have to admit that sometimes my irritation at the endless hassles of trying to get the ladies to stow their handbags properly, while I knew that the pilots were on tenterhooks waiting for me to report thr cabin ready,
has shown on my face.
What you don´t understand can make you mad.
This thread will make me more patient with the Japanese biddies and their handbag antics.

This place is ace! ;)

[smile]

I find that when securing the cabin I tend to use a lot of hand signals to reinforce what i am trying to say. (eg sweep the hand in an upward motion to emphasise putting the tray table away etc) This is for all pax of all nationalities. However......when I have Asian pax onboard I tend to have to add the "remove the bag from around your neck" movement to my little dance.

[OZcabincrew]

trust me, i'm fluent in aircraft asian sign language and yet they still don't get it. Surely they're not that daft!!!!

aussie

[KTPops]

When I operate the Tokyo route I'm truly ASTOUNDED at how many Japanese pax insist on using their blankets for take off and landing! Securing the cabin takes AGES as I literally have to pull the blankets off every single passenger! It's insane!

Has anyone else encountered the Japanese obsession with blankets!!??

KTPxx