Cathay Pacific discrimination scandal: Hong Kong equality watchdog warns cabin crew may have violated racial discrimination law indirectly

Ricky Chu, who chairs the Equal Opportunities Commission, also voices hope work on legislation against intra-racial discrimination will be completed soon

He weighs in on saga centred on trio of flight attendants fired from carrier after being accused by mainland passengers of insulting non-English speakers

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Cathay Pacific’s cabin crew may have violated the discrimination ordinance, according to Hong Kong’s equality watchdog. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 12:43pm, 25 May 2023Updated: 6:32pm, 25 May 2023

Cabin crew members of Cathay Pacific Airways might have indirectly violated the discrimination ordinance if they provided conditional services, Hong Kong’s equality watchdog has warned while pointing to legislation under discussion to deal with intra-racial prejudice.

Ricky Chu Man-kin, who chairs the Equal Opportunities Commission, expressed hope legislation on intra-racial discrimination covering mainland Chinese people could be completed as soon as possible, saying his group had yet to reach a consensus with the government on terms.

Chu weighed in on an escalating scandal centred on three Cathay Pacific flight attendants, who were fired on Tuesday after being accused of insulting and discriminating against non-English-speaking passengers.

Equal Opportunities Commission head Ricky Chu spoke about the issue on a radio programme. Photo: Jonathan Wong

“According to the Race Discrimination Ordinance, such behaviour may constitute indirect discrimination,” Chu told a radio programme on Thursday.

“If certain passengers were asked to speak certain languages to be served by service providers, those who could not communicate effectively in Cantonese or English would be treated unfairly.”

He added that although language was not a protected characteristic under the ordinance, it was closely linked to race.

Chu stressed that even if the cabin crew members were simply joking and did not mean to discriminate, it was not a reliable defence they could lean on.