So what compelled me to write today was all this hoopla in the news over the JetBlue flight attendant, Steven Slater, who went into a turbulent rage and made a grand exit off the plane after a rowdy passenger became verbally and physically belligerent with him. The whole fiasco begged the question, "Would this have happened on an Asian Airline?"
The reason why I am inquiring about this is simple. Whatever happened on JetBlue, and probably almost every other major airline in America, isn't a unique case. This may in fact be a reflection of what is wrong with American society today as a whole. Let me explain.
Once upon a time, flying was considered a luxury. The flight attendants were mostly young women looking very sexy or at least very feminine. Remember this was prior to 9/11 so security wasn't really an issue. And though you were allowed to smoke, the flights weren't as technologically safe and you couldn't watch movies on your own personal TV, flying in 1950s and 60s seemed much more enjoyable. Then again, I also can't imagine the people on the flight being nearly as rude back then as they are today.
Contrastingly, when I look to Asian based airlines such as Korean, Asiana, Singapore or Japan Airlines, I feel like the customer service and quality of the flight attendants haven't strayed much from the traditional way Americans used to fly. Here are a couple of examples of the Korean and Singapore Airline flight attendants.
Now compare this what you see typically on US based airlines. Originally, I was going to post pictures up but those of you who've flown any major US airline surely know where I'm going with this. The point I'm trying to make is that American based airlines have lost their way and the tradition of flying with class. Just as a significant number of Americans has lost their way in treating others with respect while becoming more self-entitled to everything under the Sun and moon. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine an Asian passenger dropping an F-Bomb-equivalent to a flight attendant. Its just unheard of and unfathomable.
I believe what many of us have witnessed here with this JetBlue incident is the unintended consequences of how Americans are given too much freedom and self-entitlement where even the slightest form of discomfort turns us hyper-politically correct and super bitchy (e.g. mandating school uniforms, cellphones in prisons, outlandish ridiculous lawsuits, etc). This is a manifestation of a much broader and significant societal problem at hand in America. The truth hurts.
US airlines should go back to hiring young, attractive girls and paying them realistic salaries. This is what Asian airlines continue to do, I believe. It keeps costs down and frankly, makes the flight more pleasant for passengers. In return, the girls get the opportunity to travel the world, have some fun and after a few years, they can move on other careers. Instead, we have men and women in their 30s, 40s and 50s who think waitressing in the sky should be a high paying, life time career.
ReplyDeleteMakes sense to me. I've never had any problem flying Asian airlines.
ReplyDeleteI do think the American public has too much freedom at times and needs to be checked. It even shows in the way passengers behave on flights as you can see with the JetBlue incident.
One time I was flying over to Okinawa and there were all these American soldiers on our flight. They were so obnoxiously loud and rowdy. I was really embarrassed to be sitting with them as an American. The moment we landed all of the Japanese people on our flight immediately bolted toward the front because they couldn't stand sitting with these people.
I always thought that Asian airlines had younger stewardesses because they can fire or demote them when they get too old. There are laws preventing this from happening in the USA. Or for something like Singapore Airlines, which has greatly expanded in recent memory, all of the stewardesses were probably hired more recently than the Delta dinosaurs.
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