Cathay Pacific flight attendants threaten to withhold food, smiles

Labor strife is common among airline workers, but flight attendants for Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific voted last week to try unusual tactics to push stalled salary negotiations.

The flight attendants, who demanded a 5% pay increase but instead were offered a 2% raise, were considering performing only their basic, safety-first responsibilities.

That means they could refrain from serving food and drinks, according to the union’s general secretary, Tsang Kwok-fung. Not only that, he said, they may also abstain from smiling at work.

“We will be selective in providing our services,” Tsang told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding that the dates and the types of job action have yet to be decided.

“This could include not smiling at passengers, not providing certain types of beverages -- such as alcohol -- or stop serving meals,” he said.

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