Comments on: Travel Language Notes /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/ But I fear more for Muninn... Thu, 16 May 2013 14:30:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.2 By: Muninn /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97249 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:35:42 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97249 Interesting – perhaps this is a sign of a new trend to get linguistically competent TSA officials? If so, a promising development. I blogged some of my earlier frustrations with TSA here:

http://muninn.net/blog/2004/06/letter-to-the-transportation-security-administration.html

Perhaps things are beginning to change.

]]> By: Jonathan Benda /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97246 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:10:13 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97246 On TSA speakers of other languages: I was at an airport in the States last year (possibly Dulles?) and overheard a blond-haired TSA official who must have been in her 50s explaining something to a Chinese couple in quite competent Mandarin. I wondered if she was hired for her language skills or trained after getting the job, but I didn’t want to interrupt her work.

]]> By: denske /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97191 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:22:27 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97191 I flew Asiana from Japan to Korea a few months ago. Excellent airline. I think I was the only native speaker of English on the flight.

The flight attendants were all bilingual in Korean and Japanese, which is what would have mattered on this flight. But even if it weren’t the case, the interaction is limited enough in routine flights that common languages are not really required. I know how to fasten my seatbelt even without the announcement, and I don’t care if I get the chicken or the fish.

]]> By: Muninn /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97185 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 13:35:56 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97185 If true, it is unfortunate, but perhaps it will change in future.

]]> By: Sunkyoung /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97184 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 13:06:49 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97184 I love being at airports and on the planes because of the similar reasons you find interesting there. Since I have seldom used any Korean airlines, I have lack of experience of how bad their flight crew’s English is. But I, sadly, agree to your impression on the airline’s priority in hiring their employees, and think they should take the language ability into serious consideration.

]]> By: Muninn /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97183 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:25:15 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97183 I suspect you are right.

]]> By: Kerim Friedman /blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes/comment-page-1/#comment-97182 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 11:50:46 +0000 http://muninn.net/blog/2007/12/travel-language-notes.html#comment-97182 I’ve often noticed that American airline attendants are much more competent and less likely to be young and glamorous. I assume it has to do with better labor laws, unions, or something of the sort…

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