Hong Kong Airport Rude Staff and Swine Flu Paranoia
At HKIA, it's mostly Chinese people wearing masks and no single Caucasian, probably because of the stigma of Hong Kong people who experienced the deadlier SARS and avian flu (H5N1) virus a few years back.
Even flight attendants of Cathay Pacific wore face masks!
On his fourth time in HKIA, Tutubi again encountered rude people at the security checking from arrival to transfer area (E2 exit). The airport staff yelled at Tutubi and others to queue at an X-ray machine with no people but the line was blocked by a family with children. He was held on his elbow by the staff manning the queue at the security x-ray, something Tutubi didn't like but didn't protest just to avoid an incident in a foreign country that may put him at a disadvantage.
On exiting the security after putting his laptop back in his backpack, he looked back at his companion still on queue at the X-ray but the attendant shooed him away like a child and shouted "Go! Go!" without a trace of proper courtesy.
Such rudeness he encountered again, Hong Kong is a nice place to visit but it would have been better if HK people knew proper respect and etiquette.
Note:
Swine Flu now known as Influenza A(H1N1) is cureable; the people who died from it already had pre-existing medical problems and would have died even with seasonal flu. HK and the Philippines hyped about the virus that's why people are reacting in an overkill kind of way.
Lastly, Tutubi's holed up in his own room at home for self-quarantine but doing his work with pay. :P
Labels: Hong Kong, Travel Warnings
posted by GingGoy @ 9:29 PM,
16 Comments:
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At Jun 9, 2009, 1:55:00 AM,
Photo Cache said...
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Cant' wait to see and hear about your trip. Glad youre back safe.
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At Jun 9, 2009, 7:12:00 AM,
bing said...
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how rude! but it wouldnt do any good arguing or reacting. learned that lesson very well. :-)
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At Jun 9, 2009, 10:00:00 AM,
Marco said...
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mga praning hahah
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At Jun 9, 2009, 10:18:00 PM,
tin-tin said...
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pero rude nga sila... yun lang ayaw ko doon
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At Jun 11, 2009, 10:40:00 AM,
dodong flores said...
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How rude it is. But you did the right thing. I would have done the same thing as well if it happened to me. But it's really disappointing to know how discourteous staffers could be working in an international airport.
Glad your safe, and unlike Manny Pacquiao, you volunteered for self-quarantine. Can't wait to hear your travel stories abroad.
Lastly, thank you for the insights about A(H1N1)... -
At Jun 11, 2009, 7:42:00 PM,
bw said...
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Hongkong folks aren't exactly what you will call polite. In truth they lack customer service. Last time I was there, I checked in at the hotel at around 830am, the staff told me we could have the room by 12 noon coz the hotel was booked. I booked a packaged tour mind you.
I then whispered to my wife " now watch me". I gave frigging earful to the hotel staff like you won't believe. Within 10 minutes, I got our room. -
At Jun 14, 2009, 11:10:00 PM,
Unknown said...
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sikat ang taga-HK sa kabastusan. from airport personnel, cab drivers, sales clerks, hotel staff---most of them have superiority complex. i don't know if they're only rude to Filipinos, Chinese from mainland China, and other Asians...so when i'm in HK, i psych up myself---my mantra is "congee lang kinakain nyo!" hahaha kaya yon, pinagpa-praktisan ko rin sila ng katarayan.:D
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At Jun 19, 2009, 1:07:00 AM,
said...
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it's a cultural thing... they are very cold here, pati sa kapwa nila. but i find that if you approach them with a smile and enthusiasm, nagugulat din sila and they 'mostly' respond with kindness din.
miro
-who generally believes that people are good, but you might need to dig down deep with others. :) -
At Jun 19, 2009, 12:52:00 PM,
said...
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mostly it's a cultural thing... i mean they act the same way towards each other. they are very 'by the book' and very meager when it comes to showing affection. but i find that if you make the effort and be gregariously nice first, nagugulat sila and they do make an effort. nabastos na ko dito, pero marami na din akong nakilalang mababait na chinese, parang sa manila din. :)
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At Jun 22, 2009, 6:04:00 PM,
Hong Kong Honeymoon said...
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You cannot blame them for being a little worried about Swine Flu, like the poster said they did have SARS not so long back. Admittedly that was a much worse virus but if you have the face masks at home your boubd to put them on if you've been told to before....
Your right about the airport staff though, that did seem quite rude. -
At Jun 27, 2009, 11:16:00 PM,
dee said...
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i experience rude airport personnel in hk but cathay personnel...quite stupid they didn't let us know they bumped our connecting flight which not our fault naman to be late...very frustrating
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At Dec 1, 2010, 9:22:00 AM,
James said...
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I have been there before and I agree with you that airport personnel out there are rude. Maybe it's their training in security that is trying to maintain a class 1 rating.
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At Dec 1, 2010, 4:24:00 PM,
GingGoy said...
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james, you can be safe and secure without being rude...hehe
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At Dec 7, 2010, 4:01:00 PM,
Keith said...
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There should be an official travel advisory for those travelling to Honkong.
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At Dec 7, 2010, 10:27:00 PM,
GingGoy said...
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keith, hehe just to be different, philippines issuing a travel advisory for Hong Kong Bird flu :P
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At May 2, 2011, 5:40:00 PM,
vietnam real estate said...
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well, better be safe than sorry, but the outbreak of the flu was so vrazy, its hard to forget...
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