Posted on 11/27/2007 7:27:19 PM PST by JACKRUSSELL
(BEIJING) -- Fly on a Chinese airline and you will be pampered by flight attendants who look eerily alike. They are young, beautiful and practically the same height.
This is not a coffee-tea-or-me stereotype, but the result of a rigorous selection process that is more beauty pageant than equal-opportunity job interview.
If you're older than 24, don't bother applying.
If you aren't taller than the average Chinese woman, go home.
And if your legs are similar to tree trunks, don't call.
Sound like a throwback to the dark ages of workplace discrimination?
Here, in the world's fastest-growing aviation market, entry barriers for flight attendants are not only tolerated -- they're flaunted as symbols of excellence.
"A lot of Chinese passengers judge the quality of airlines based on the quality of their flight attendants, meaning, 'Are they pretty or not pretty?'" said Luo Man, a media director at China Southern, the country's largest carrier.
Good looks are such a commodity these days that China Southern has put its annual recruitment drive on reality TV. While men are not excluded from the jobs, only women are featured in the on-television selection process. The show, funded in part by the airline, follows a six-month audition -- complete with swimsuit competition and a race involving luggage, makeup brushes and drink trays -- through several major Chinese cities. Thousands of young women line up for the chance to compete for 180 openings.
China Southern's Web site for the show, which provides news on the auditions, has had more than 1 million hits.
"This is every little girl's dream," said Lu Ju, 20, who has flown three times in her life. "I want to be beautiful like the flight attendants. They can see the world and go places most people can't."......
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Unions and lawyers are the death of this country.
I first flew in 1959, so I have really seen it go down hill.
“....the attractiveness of the stewardesses has never been important to me. Not even their “helpfulness” is an issue mainly because (particularly on long flights) I tend to get up and roam around and,thus,can get anything I want for myself.”
Okay, so you’re one of those who gets an aisle seat and stands in the galley and talks to us. I always enjoyed those friendly types, but when there’s work to be done, these big gals just aren’t capable. It isn’t about “attractiveness.”
They can’t bend down for anything in the bottom of the cart, you can’t get past them anywhere (the working areas are small.) Therefore, many can’t even work in the aisles. They have to stay in the galley.
I want to see one of them help you in an emergency evacuation. I’ve been to many annual emergency training sessions, and the big gals can’t bend (stoop) down to pull the manual infaltion handle for the inflatable slide, which is located at the base of the door once it’s opened. I’ve seen the training instructors just shake their heads...but they have to pass them....the rules.
Besides, I don’t think a first class or business pax, paying the amount they do, should have to get up to get water. Count the first class seats in a 777 or 747....10-14. If three F/A’s, assigned to first class, can’t handle that on a 14 hour flight...and have to grumble because someone asked them for something, that’s sad. And I saw it on my recent flight....from a big F/A each time.
They should merge with the American Federation of Teachers, since they have the exact same priorities.
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Veda Shook is not amused by the focus on looks and youth.
"I find it very offensive," said Shook, international vice president for the Association of Flight Attendants, the world's largest labor union for cabin crew members, representing more than 55,000 employees at 20 U.S. airlines.
"When a carrier views their selection process as a beauty pageant, it's really a setback to our profession on a global scale."
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I would think a dwindling number of travelers willing to patronize US carriers due to poor flight attendant service would be an even bigger setback to her "profession" on a global scale, but that's just me... ;)
“...Flight Attendants are dispicable. Plus, there seems to be a push to hire homosexual males and crew them together.”
Yes, when I started, the rules were such that...
1. Once you turned 32 or got married, you had to resign. (I really don’t believe in that rule now.)
2. Also there were no male flight attendants.
3. We were weighed monthly. I went up to 118 one time... weighed with my uniform on. My supervisor called me in and said it was not acceptable, so I had to lose the weight, which I did.
I flew with homosexuals in recent years, and I’m one to say “live and let live.” I respected the ones who didn’t flaunt it, but there were some who were FLAMING in the aisles. It was always so embarassing. And you can’t tell me that wasn’t recognized during the hiring interview.
Today..anything goes, and it’s not good.
“Take Thy Pick.
Northwest does offer you the choice of an old cow or a gay male steward.”
LOL!
Many years ago I went up to first class to help two guys who were working together. Joe Piscopo and that beautiful gal, whom he eventually married and divorced, decided that they wanted a bit of privacy, so they went into the lav together.
HA! If you wanted to see two flaming guys get pushed out of shape over that! They knocked on the door furiously and demanded they come out at once. I apologized to Joe later...he was laughing.
“I would think a dwindling number of travelers willing to patronize US carriers due to poor flight attendant service would be an even bigger setback to her “profession” on a global scale, but that’s just me... ;)”
I agree!
That’s class!
Looks like a Chans encounter.
I know what you mean.
I used to work the EWR-NRT trips, with two day layovers there. Always quite enjoyable.
My first trip to China was last month, and we experienced the same type of service....accomodating merchants, salespeople, hotel employees, waiters, waitresses, etc.
They went out of their way to please us.
For instance.. we asked a store employee about a product we wanted...which cost about two dollars, and when it was determined they didn’t carry it, she walked us across the street to another merchant who might have had it!
Sometimes I can’t even find a salesperson here in some stores because they’re too busy chatting with one another or taking inventory!
“Don’t fly China Air for any reason.”
Did you hear that some of the Asian airlines are considering a section of the plane for “standing room only” on their orders of the new Airbus? It can be googled, but I don’t know if it’s a rumor or if they’re serious. Airbus is denying it.
You quit flying because your flight attendants weren't Chinese?
No, because they were grumpy old sows, among other things.
I think it was mostly the end of the smoking section and the stupid questions at the ticket counter.
you almost want to end the sale in midstream and say, "fine, you dont want my business, you dont get it".
“..(or in the US), complaining along with a co-worker, right smack in front of a customer, that “today is busy! too many customers! I got 10 minutes before my break!), things like that...”
I hear ya! *sigh*
What do you do there? No offense, but using LA as a benchmark doesn’t say much for China.
Sounds like you’ve found your paradise. I’m glad you enjoy it. I’ll stay in America.
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