"Guests in our own home"

I was holding a copy of MAS inflight magazine Going Places and decided to read the article on the latest MAS tagline “Malaysian Hospitality, where the national carrier will be on employees’ toe to ensure all passengers are treated “like a guest in our own home”. In fact this was a personal message from the top. Most interesting. And I was there to witness it all -from the moment passengers were asked to check in until we arrived at our destination.

A total of 6 lines were opened for checking in; two were dedicated for Golden Club members and the remaining four for the rest. A red carpet awaited the Golden Club members (in case they scuffed those Salvatore Ferragamo shoes) and as each one of them was checked in, they were handed a special pass to the Airline Lounge where a variety of cuisines were waiting to tickle each one of their palates. Less than 5 people were in line, waiting to be checked in by crewmembers who were all smiles. And of course, things could only get better from thereon –chicken/beef sate, a la carte lunch/dinner, desserts with fancy names, fruit juices, wine, heavy & expensive silverware, table mats, & personalized video player were all waiting for them in the plane. And let’s not forget; the flight attendants know them by names too.

Meanwhile, their poor cousins were in a queue of 3o people (if they are lucky), each shoving his or her feet to get to the end of the line. Once in the plane, they were shown to their seat with legrooms smaller than both my cats had in the kitty condo. For those who are fat (I call them as I see them), their buns will be squished to the max once they took their seat in the small chair. As far as food was concerned, forget about having linen napkins to go with lunch & dinner. Food was served of course with the same courtesy and care—it is just that if one is hoping for a full course dinner, don't hold your breath. Don't get me wrong though; it isn’t that the airline is treating the passengers badly, oh no --none at all but that is how some of the “guests” are being served in their open house.

On the other side of the coin, we understand that the airline is running a business, not a charity. Business continuity is a prime consideration. And if this means the airline needs to discriminate the guests according to their economic status, they will have to do it. They love you more if you have money. In fact, almost all organizations run their business similarly. We understand.

What I don't understand is the claim all passengers are treated “like a guest in our own home”. I am not sure about you but I find it disconcerting to treat my guests according to their economic status let alone be treated differently in my friend’s house because I am not carrying a Prada handbag. And how does one feel if he or she is being served like a king yet the rest is being treated like a 2nd class citizen? What will it do to our values as a human in the 21st century where we openly oppose discrimination of all sorts?

If such an open house invite were extended to me which requires RSVP and regardless of whichever receiving end I am at, my response would have been simple and curt:

Respectfully decline.