Spend enough time in Asia and USA, it won't be hard for anyone to notice the not so subtle differences between the East and the West. Surely the languages are drastically different, and so are the cultures, those are given and you don't need me to point them out for you. What interests me the most are those concepts that seem so as-matter-of-fact on one side of the globe but completely distinct on the other the other side. Being born and spend my early childhood in China, but raised in USA, I can see the logic and understand the reasonings behind the way things are handled on the two continent, I can relate, and that's what makes it really interesting...

Flight Attendants
America was the first country to commercialize the art of flying, back in the early last century, when boarding an airplane was still a privilege reserved for the rich and famous, you can light up a cigar inflight and do summersaults in the cabinet, the flying experience was complemented by flight attendants (it was called "couriers" back then) tailor to your every needs.

Those days are long gone, fast forward to 2000's, the matured US airline industry is plagued by bankruptcies and union labors. United, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, American... fly any US airline, you will be greeted by mid/overaged, often over-weight flight attendants who dread make eye contacts with the passengers, they are equipped with frosty faces that would put Stone Cold Austin in shame; inflight meals means catching the bags of pretzels or rock hard cold sandwich the flight attendant hurled at you. After that obligatory duty, you will be lucky to see them again for the rest of the fight. In recent years, the US airlines have been raising ticket prices to adjust for the increasing fuel costs, well, I would suggest the US airlines to force their flight attendants to join a health club to trim their shapes, flying around those extra 20-30 lbs, each, is seriously expensive for the passengers!

In contrast, the Asia airlines, no matter which, ANA, JAL, Eva, China Airline, China Eastern Airline, Singapore Air... you will be greeted by early 20's well in-shape flight attendants in clean contour-fitting uniforms. These professionals put on their best smiles, looks you in the eye, and direct you to your seat. To accommodate the international travelers, the crew will use at least two different languages (English is always used) for the PA announcements, even on Asian domestic flights!! For areas that has diverse population, the crew sometime uses up to four different languages (ex: TW-HK flights) for announcements, well, it was kind of long and annoying to have the same message repeated four times, but it keeps everyone well informed. If you ever fly the business/first, some of these Asian airline's flight attendants would even lower themselves in half kneeling position when spoken to, so you as the passenger won't have to strain yourself looking up to communicate! Now, regarding to the inflight meal, even for the short two hours domestic flights, the Asian airlines would serve you hot food: fried rice, noodles, stir-fries or tasty sandwiches, and sometimes even provides real metal knife and forks!! That's something I haven't seen on board any US airline since that dreadful 9/11. I understand that's a security measure, but com'on! I can't image anyone hijacking a plane with a dull inflight dinner knife.

Having friends who are flight attendants for the China Eastern Airline, I was able to learn the insights of their lives. They first had to pass height, look and age requirements, then go thru two years worth of professional training before they can call themselves flight attendants. Even after they starts working, quiz and examinations are frequently done to measure their continuing professional capabilities. I recently watched a Japanese TV series called "Attention Please!" that depicted a young girl's experience as she transformed herself from a hip, causal rock band singer to a well mannered, professional flight attendants for the Japanese ANA airline. Although it is a TV series, and obviously endorsed by ANA, it is still quite interesting to see the level of attention to detail and caring to the passengers stressed by the airline.

Flight attendants, whether it is an important glamorous job or not, that's for you to decide. However, one thing for sure, flight attendants are the face and image of the airline, and the country behind them, why not make that image as rosy as possible??!

China Southern Airline Flight Attendants