It is unfortunate that some people have had bad experiences interacting with the local people and culture. It is most interesting and amusing to compare these stories with my own experience.

To FJ and others who share similar sentiments, have you ever wondered why your feelings are so much different from that of the large number of foreigners living in HK? Next time you decide to dismiss women of any specific nationality as shallow and indifferent or whatever else you said, be mindful that there are plenty of others who know and have met people of that same nationality belonging to the rest of the spectrum. In their eyes, you would come across as ignorant, parochial and laughable. If your distorted views of HK women upset you and lead you to think you made a mistake in coming to live here, then the rest of us pity you.

But then, perhaps you want to hold on to that opinion in order to fuel your exaggerated view of yourselves. The better natured people would wish that your misery would end soon and that you can move on to somewhere you enjoy yourselves more. But there are some who quietly enjoy the thought of you being stuck in this place for a long time.

Now lets cut this topic, who cares about hk women anyways. Be a man and talk about real issues (cabin services) we are addressing here. If its too boring, then move on to another thread. Stop ranting.

Curtain Rod:- you want to hear a long rambling PA then fly any US Carrier and you'll never complain about our short and concise to the point PA's ever again.

I'm still going to give my usual shortish 35 second PA as usual before departure and my even shorter top of descent one of 20 seconds so if you still don't like it then I respectfully suggest you block your tender Ears and toughen up Princess:hmm:

As will you.....one day!

'Honkee' is a term of endearment for local Chinese..

Other species have got their own nicks!.

Long rambling PA on US carriers yup i concur!.

Curtain Rod,

You are really making a prat of yourself now!

The endless pointless PAs (yes, in 3 languages) at the start of the flight are mandated by law, for the people who do not know how to fasten a seatbelt or would like to know how to get out in a hurry. If you don't like it just continue reading your newspaper or listening to your music. We don't care. But DO NOT talk to your neighbour. You might stop someone who does care from getting a piece of important information. Oh, by the way, it's rude too but you wouldn't realise.

Talking of getting out in a hurry, the 3 evacuations we have had in my memory have all been conducted inside the stipulated 90 seconds. It would have been even quicker if the idiots who don't pay attention to the safety video hadn't taken their cabin baggage with them.

As for the descent PA, I'm not worried about the arrival time or the weather; especially with the amount of traffic ATC have to deal with nowadays. It'll happen when it happens, but there are plenty who do want to know. I only really make a PA to thank the cabin crew for their hard work in putting up with filth like you! Haha!

Ah, Curtain Rod.

You need to read more slowly and digest what is being said.

I did not say the PA is not worthwhile...
I said I am not really worried about the arrival time or the weather. I cannot influence either. But I will make a PA to inform you of my best estimate to both.

You need to get off your high horse.
If you really are a pax and not a troll, go on another carrier. I am sure they will welcome you with open arms.

If the PA is a waste of time, how do you justify to yourself, your 2 seconds of fame when you check it during preflight?? Sure it's for safety but there are ways around it should it fail. You do sound very good on that PA check though.

PA check???

Boeing w&*kers!!

Squabbling over a PA now,

No wonder we can't stand together and fight for a common cause.


Kind of sad really!!!!:ugh::zzz:

Listen to a PA on any US carrier and you'll beam with pride when comparing them to the professional PAs you will hear on CX.

The Chuck Yeager, deep throated, tone and poor grammatical references to "those seatbelt signs", and the constant "Uhs" and "Ahhs", demean the individual as well as the profession.

Say what you will about CX, but our PAs sound professional!

Then Unfortunately ruined by the hatchet job of a PA by the majority of ISMs

Yet the all powerful ISD will acknowledge none of it.

Soul Planet,

I would know what they talk about if I hear their conversation because Cantonese is my first language.

Don't you see you and I are making the same points? Some posters made a brushing statement about HK women and I pointed out the fallacy in such a generalisation. Normally I would not try to correct them but their false belief and attitude are disrespectful and would have an effect on me in that when they bring that attitude to work it gives my profession a bad name.

They appeared to have only experienced a narrow part of the whole spectrum of personalities and have come to a conclusion that is outrageously far from the truth. You said that without trying to generalise, you feel the materialistic women behave materialistically. Well, what's the difference between that and saying left-handed people tend to write with their left hands?

It is one thing to express disdain towards people of a certain character, but it is a completely different matter to paint everyone with the same brush.

Guru,

I don't know why this meaningless thread is dragging on for so long. I can only come to one conclusion, many people don't like hkg women and some are acceptable.

Well I did not say materialistic women are materialistic. I said many are. And of course when I referred to a large portion of women who are dating expats because local men can't meet their expectation - this is also true. If you are from hkg you know that, in most cases. Also known as CCB. Most of them in their 20s and 30s.

the hatchet job of a PA by the majority of ISMs
 

Not sure it's a majority but, agreed, it is a lot.

On the other hand, some of our ISM's make outstandingly good PA's, far better than any of ours.

As an outsider to CX I have to agree the cabin service has gone downhill quite rapidly in the last 5 years or so. It seems that gone are the days when 'westerners' would comment positively and attribute the excellent service to the lovely Far East approach to service industries. Doubtless those same lovely ladies who, in the past, provided such good service are now as cheesed off and jaded by the same penny-pinching and continued degradation of their terms and conditions as the rest of us are. Unfortunately, as the front-line of Cathay's customer service, they are now damaging the brand and it is having an a detrimental effect. By way of only a teeny-tiny example, my wife recently travelled from Oz to the UK and back with CX. She was in J and the price was very competitive. Not the cheapest but we thought it was worth paying the extra for the imagined improved cabin service over the other, cheaper, players. Well, that was a decision we regret and Cathay have lost another customer. I know, I know, don't let the door etc. The thing is, my wife is one of the least demanding people you will ever meet and yet she could not muster one good word to say about the Cathay experience. Several of the comments already made here were included in her description of the flights, including the lacklustre meal services, the amazing ability of the cabin crew to disappear, the sighing and tutting when she had the temerity to ask for more water (what on earth was she thinking) and the distinct impression that she was being done a HUGE favour when the crew deigned to do their job. It's something you'd expect of an American airline and certainly not one based in the Far East. Anyway, yesterday we were talking about an upcoming trip and I'd researched the various prices again. Cathay was immediately crossed off the list, with the only comment being, "I'm not travelling with them again". :(

As for the PAs, well I find myself in the Curtain Rod boat with this one. I'm very aware of the necessity of having to do certain announcements regarding seat belts, codesharing etc but, really, do we need all the bolleaux that's been spouted since the Sunderlands cut across the skies? Once upon a time the pax had no idea of what time they might be landing, the proposed route, the weather at the destination etc. Nowadays it's ALL on the IFE. It bugs the hell out of me when my movie gets interrupted by a top-of-climb lecture about all the things I can see on my screen. It REALLY bugs me when I then have to hear it all again in another one or two languages. I won't rant about my over-riding hatred of "fasten your seat belts" X 3 languages when the sign goes on and then the "keep them fastened when seated" X 3 EVERY time it goes off again :mad: To then rub salt into the wounds and have to listen to the ETA (again), the weather (again) because it's now up-to-date and all the other blurb in three languages, when I'm trying to see the end of the movie that's been interrupted so many times already, really gets my goat. The ETA is on the TV and, as Curtain Rod said, what difference does it make? You can't influence it, you can't re-plan, you can't do anything different given the information, so why repeat what's been on the screen for the last XX hours? Likewise the weather. Oh, it's 30 degrees and sunny. In that case I'll change my clothes for arriving in the air conditioned terminal. 15 degrees and raining; I'll change my clothes for arriving in the covered, dry, terminal. It makes not one iota of difference in the modern world and is complete nonsense left over from days of old when that information wasn't available to all and sundry. Clearly this is NOT aimed solely at CX and I only dragged out my soapbox because the subject was in this thread. I travel with Qantas a lot and exactly the same comments apply to them. Everybody, shut up on PA unless it's mandated and/or safety information. I have to add I do practise what I preach and refuse to do anything more than the required talking.

And now the sun looks low enough that it's time for a beer. Cheers fellow aviators :}.

Broadband,
At least the Boeing guys have time to do a PA check... The Airbus boys and girls are buried in multitude MELs during the pre departure!!:}
:ok:

Kom
 

That's the first post You have written where you haven't said..." I hope I never fly with you"

As for the airbus I haven't had an MEL in ages. At the moment most of the delays and AOG and return to base are 777 and 747.

Kom
 

That's the first post You have written where you haven't said..." I hope I never fly with you"

As for the airbus I haven't had an MEL in ages. At the moment most of the delays and AOG and return to base are 777 and 747.

If the PA system is not written up in the MEL as U/S why would you want to check it to make sure it is working...seems dumb to me.....and I know, I know..you dont want to fly with me...