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KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Allegedly Bars Korean Passengers From Using the Toilet Over Coronavirus Fears

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    KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.), the flag carrier of the Netherlands, allegedly barred Korean passengers from using its toilet over fears that they might spread the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

    The incident, which involved a written note, occurred on KLM Flight KL855 from Amsterdam to Seoul on Feb. 10, according to passenger @connie_kiim.

    Image via @connie_kiim

    The note explicitly reserved the aircraft’s toilet for employees, saying “Lavatory For Crew Members Only.”

    It was, however, written in Korean β€” indicating that the message only applied to those able to read and understand the language.

    Passenger @connie_kiim was about to use the toilet when she saw a note in Korean indicating that the facility is reserved for the cabin crew. Image via @connie_kiim

    Connie took a photo of the note and shared it with a friend on the plane. Shortly after, she was allegedly approached by Assistant Purser El Mahova Pitta, who asked her to erase the photo immediately as it “violated Dutch regulations.”

    Perplexed by what she just heard, Connie challenged the supposed regulation and discovered that “it is not allowed to make any photo or film recording of any person on board without his/her explicit consent.” This suggests Connie did not violate any rule at all.

    Connie challenged the supposed regulation under Dutch laws banning taking photographs in planes and found that she was not in violation for taking a picture of a toilet door. Image via @connie_kiim

    Connie maintained that the crew did not make any in-flight announcements regarding toilet use. When she sought an explanation, they allegedly stated that they were “protecting cabin crew members from potential coronavirus carriers.”

    Connie then asked why the note was written only in Korean. To this, the crew simply responded that they had forgotten.

    klm
    The crew supplemented the original note with an English message and locked the door to indicate that it is “occupied.” Image via @hyunmoyang

    Twitter user @hyunmoyang, the friend who traveled with Connie, claimed that cabin officials were angry and raised their voices during the confrontation. Connie, on the other hand, was calm and logical.

    “We forgot! We simply forgot,” one allegedly said about leaving the note only in Korean. “Did that make you feel uncomfortable? Then I will write it down right now!”

    In addition, the crew allegedly claimed that they had locked the toilet to indicate that it was “occupied.” However, it was marked “vacant” when Connie attempted to use it.

    Connie concluded that the incident can only be interpreted as “blatant discrimination based on race.” She asked for the cabin officials’ details but they allegedly refused to provide it.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    μ•ˆλ…•ν•˜μ„Έμš”. KLMν•­κ³΅μ‚¬μ—μ„œ μ½”λ‘œλ‚˜λ°”μ΄λŸ¬μŠ€λ‘œ μΈν•œ 인쒅차별을 κ²ͺμ–΄ ν•΄λ‹Ή 사싀을 μ „ν•©λ‹ˆλ‹€. ν˜Ήμ‹œ μ•„λž˜ 상황에 λŒ€ν•΄ κ³΅μ‹μ μœΌλ‘œ KLMμœΌλ‘œλΆ€ν„° 사과λ₯Ό λ°›κΈ° μœ„ν•œ λ°©μ•ˆμ— λŒ€ν•΄ 의견이 μžˆμœΌμ‹  뢄은 도움을 λΆ€νƒλ“œλ¦½λ‹ˆλ‹€. A. ν˜„μƒ μ„€λͺ… β€’ 2μ›” 10일 μ•”μŠ€ν…Œλ₯΄λ‹΄μ—μ„œ 인천으둜 μ˜€λŠ” KL855 ν•­κ³΅νŽΈμ—μ„œ 사진과 같이 λΉ„ν–‰κΈ° λ’€νŽΈ ν•œ ν™”μž₯싀에 ν•œκΈ€λ‘œλ§Œ β€œμŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš© ν™”μž₯μ‹€β€μ΄λΌλŠ” 문ꡬ가 λΆ™μ–΄μžˆμ—ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. ν•œκΈ€ 문ꡬλ₯Ό 읽을 수 μžˆλŠ” 고객은 ν•΄λ‹Ή ν™”μž₯μ‹€ μ‚¬μš©μ΄ ν—ˆμš©λ˜μ§€ μ•Šμ•˜μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λ§Œμ„μ— κ°€κΉŒμš΄ λΉ„ν–‰κΈ°μ—μ„œ 본래 고객이 μ‚¬μš©ν•˜λ˜ ν™”μž₯싀을 μŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš©μœΌλ‘œ λ³€κ²½ν•œ μ΄μœ κ°€ 무엇이며, μ™œ μ˜μ–΄λŠ” 없이 ν•œκ΅­λ§λ‘œλ§Œ 문ꡬ가 μ ν˜€μžˆμ—ˆμ„κΉŒμš”? β€’ μ €λŠ” ν•¨κ»˜ 비행기에 νƒ€κ³ μžˆλ˜ 직μž₯ λ™λ£Œμ—κ²Œ 이 사싀을 κ³΅μœ ν•˜κΈ° μœ„ν•΄ ν•΄λ‹Ή 상황을 μ‚¬μ§„μœΌλ‘œ μ°μ—ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λ™λ£Œμ™€ ν˜„μƒμ„ 두고 ν•œμ°Έ 이야기 ν•˜κ³ μžˆμ„ λ•Œ 뢀사무μž₯인 El MAHOVA PITTAκ°€ μ €μ—κ²Œ 닀가와 λ„€λœλž€λ“œ κ·œμ œμ— 따라 λΉ„ν–‰κΈ° λ‚΄ 사진을 μ°λŠ” ν–‰μœ„λ₯Ό λΆˆν—ˆν•œλ‹€λ©° λ‹Ήμž₯ 사진을 μ§€μš°λΌκ³  λ‹€κΈ‹μ³€μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λΉ„ν–‰κΈ° λ‚΄μ—μ„œ μˆ˜λ„ 없이 λ§Žμ€ 사진을 μ°μ–΄μ˜¨ μ €λŠ” 제 행동이 λΆˆλ²•ν–‰μœ„λΌκ³  제기된 상황이 μ΄ν•΄λ˜μ§€ μ•Šμ•˜μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ 이에 사무μž₯κ³Ό ν•¨κ»˜ 이 문제λ₯Ό λ…Όμ˜ν•˜κ³  μ‹Άλ‹€κ³ ν•˜μ—¬ μ €λŠ” μ•„λž˜ 3κ°€μ§€ 포인트둜 μ§ˆλ¬Έμ„ μ£Όμ—ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. B. 문제 제기 1. λΉ„ν–‰κΈ° λ‚΄ 사진 촬영 κΈˆμ§€ λ°œμ–Έ] β€’ κΈ°λ‚΄μ—μ„œ 사진을 찍지 λ§λΌλŠ” μ •ν™•ν•œ 법λ₯ μ  κ·Όκ±°κ°€ λ¬΄μ—‡μž…λ‹ˆκΉŒ? μ •ν™•ν•œ 규제/μ½”λ“œ λͺ…을 μ•Œλ €μ£Όκ³  μ œκ°€ 정말 λΆˆλ²• ν–‰μœ„λ₯Ό ν–ˆλ‹€λ©΄ λ°”λ‘œ 사진을 μ§€μš°κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λ‹€λ§Œ 법λ₯ μ  근거없이 μ €μ—κ²Œ 사진을 μ§€μš°λΌκ³  κ°•μš”ν–ˆλ‹€λ©΄ κ·Έ μ΄μœ λŠ” λ¬΄μ—‡μž…λ‹ˆκΉŒ? KLM μŠ€μŠ€λ‘œλ„ 이 상황이 λ…Όλž€μ΄ 될 수 μžˆμŒμ„ μΈμ§€ν•œ 것 μ•„λ‹™λ‹ˆκΉŒ? 2. μŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš© ν™”μž₯μ‹€ λͺ©μ κ³Ό ν•œκΈ€λ‘œλ§Œ 적은 이유 β€’ μŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš© ν™”μž₯μ‹€μ˜ λͺ©μ μ΄ λ¬΄μ—‡μž…λ‹ˆκΉŒ? μŠΉλ¬΄μ› 슀슀둜λ₯Ό μ½”λ‘œλ‚˜λ°”μ΄λŸ¬μŠ€λ‘œλΆ€ν„° λ³΄ν˜Έν•˜λŠ” κ²ƒμž…λ‹ˆκΉŒ? β€’ κ·Έλ ‡λ‹€λ©΄ μ™œ ν•œκΈ€λ‘œλ§Œ μ ν˜€ 있고 μ™œ ν•œκ΅­κ³ κ°λ§Œ μ‚¬μš©ν•˜μ§€ λͺ»ν•˜λ„둝 λ§‰μ•˜μŠ΅λ‹ˆκΉŒ? μ „ 세계 λͺ¨λ“  μ‚¬λžŒμ€ λ˜‘κ°™μ΄ μ½”λ‘œλ‚˜ λ°”μ΄λŸ¬μŠ€ 감염 κ°€λŠ₯성에 λ…ΈμΆœλ˜μ–΄ μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. 3. μŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš© ν™”μž₯μ‹€μ˜ 곡식적인 μ•ˆλ‚΄ μ—¬λΆ€ β€’ λ˜ν•œ μ™œ 이 상황을 κ³΅μ‹μ μœΌλ‘œ 방솑을 톡해 μ•Œλ € κ³ κ°μ—κ²Œ μ–‘ν•΄λ₯Ό κ΅¬ν•˜μ§€ μ•Šκ³ , λ‹¨μˆœνžˆ μ’…μ΄λ§Œ λΆ™μ—¬ 놓은 κ²ƒμž…λ‹ˆκΉŒ? β€’ λͺ¨λ“  νƒ‘μŠΉ 고객은 KLM의 λ‹€λ₯Έ λ…Έμ„ κ³Ό λ§ˆμ°¬κ°€μ§€λ‘œ μ •λ‹Ήν•œ 가격을 μ§€λΆˆν•˜κ³  λ™μΌν•œ μˆ˜μ€€μ˜ μ„œλΉ„μŠ€λ₯Ό 받을 κΆŒλ¦¬κ°€ μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. C. KLM λŒ€μ‘ 제 μ§ˆλ¬Έμ— λŒ€ν•œ KLM 사무μž₯의 닡변은 μ•„λž˜μ™€ κ°™μ•˜κ³ , KLM의 행동은 λͺ…λ°±ν•œ 인쒅차별 및 μ„œλΉ„μŠ€ λŒ€μ‘ λΆ€μ‘±μœΌλ‘œλ°–μ— ν•΄μ„λ˜μ§€ μ•ŠμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. 1. λΉ„ν–‰κΈ° λ‚΄ 사진 촬영 κΈˆμ§€ λ°œμ–Έ β€’ 사무μž₯이 μ €μ—κ²Œ 보여쀀 법λ₯ μ€ 두 번째 사진과 같이 β€œν—ˆλ½ 없이 νƒ€μΈμ˜ 사진을 μ°λŠ”λ‹€λ©΄ λΆˆλ²•ν–‰μœ„μ΄λ‹€.” μž…λ‹ˆλ‹€. κ·ΈλŸ¬λ‚˜ μ €λŠ” μ‚¬λžŒμ΄ μ•„λ‹Œ 사물(ν™”μž₯μ‹€ λ¬Έ)을 μ°μ—ˆμœΌλ―€λ‘œ λ¬Έμ œκ°€ λ˜μ§€ μ•ŠμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ κ²°κ΅­ KLM은 μžˆμ§€λ„ μ•Šμ€ 규제둜 제 사진을 μ§€μš°λ € ν–ˆμœΌλ©°, λ…Όλž€μ΄ 될 수 μžˆλŠ” 상황을 λ§‰κ³ μž ν–ˆλ‹€κ³  밖에 νŒλ‹¨λ˜μ§€ μ•ŠμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. 2. μŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš© ν™”μž₯μ‹€ λͺ©μ κ³Ό ν•œκΈ€λ‘œλ§Œ 적은 이유 β€’ KLM은 본인 슀슀둜λ₯Ό 잠재 μ½”λ‘œλ‚˜ 보균자 κ³ κ°μœΌλ‘œλΆ€ν„° μ§€ν‚€κΈ° μœ„ν•΄ κ²°μ •λœ 사항이라 μ΄μ•ΌκΈ°ν–ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ €λŠ” μŠΉλ¬΄μ›μ΄ λ‹€λ₯Έ 기타 직업ꡰ에 λΉ„ν•΄ 2μ°¨ κ°μ—Όμ˜ μœ„ν—˜λ„κ°€ 높은 μ§μ—…κ΅°μ΄λ―€λ‘œ 이λ₯Ό 막기 μœ„ν•œ μ˜λ„λ‘œ μΆ©λΆ„νžˆ 이해할 수 μžˆμ—ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λ‹€λ§Œ ν•΄λ‹Ή 사항을 ν•œκΈ€λ‘œλ§Œ 적은 μ΄μœ μ— λŒ€ν•΄ 묻자 β€œκ·Έκ²Œ 기뢄이 λ‚˜λΉ ? 그럼 λ‚΄κ°€ μ˜μ–΄λ‘œλ„ μ¨μ€„κ²Œ! 됐지?”라며 κ·Έμ œμ„œμ•Ό μ˜μ–΄ 문ꡬ도 ν•¨κ»˜ μ μ–΄μ£ΌλŠ” μΉœμ ˆν•¨μ„ λ³΄μ—¬μ£Όμ—ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ™œ ν•œκ΅­ μ‚¬λžŒλ§Œ ν™”μž₯싀을 μ΄μš©ν•  수 μ—†λŠ” 것이죠? ν•œκ΅­ μ‚¬λžŒλ§Œ 보균 κ°€λŠ₯성을 κ°–κ³  μžˆλ‚˜μš”? λͺ…λ°±ν•œ 인쒅 μ°¨λ³„μž…λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λ˜ν•œ ν™”μž₯싀을 잠ꢈ Occupied 둜 λ˜μ–΄μžˆμœΌλ©΄ 영미ꢌ 고객은 μ˜μ–΄λ₯Ό 읽고 λ“€μ–΄κ°€μ§€ μ•ŠκΈ° λ•Œλ¬Έμ— ν‘œκΈ°ν•˜μ§€ μ•Šμ•˜λ‹€λŠ” λ³€λͺ…도 ν–ˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€λ§Œ, μ‹€μ œ 사진 보면 Vacant둜 λ˜μ–΄μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. 3. μŠΉλ¬΄μ› μ „μš© ν™”μž₯μ‹€μ˜ 곡식적인 μ•ˆλ‚΄ μ—¬λΆ€ β€’ 본인듀 μ˜μ‚¬κ²°μ •μ΄λ―€λ‘œ 본인듀이 μ›ν•˜λŠ” λ°©μ‹μœΌλ‘œ κ³΅μ§€ν•˜λŠ”λ° μ™œ λ¬Έμ œλƒλŠ” 닡변을 λ°›μ•˜μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. β€’ λ§Œμ„μ— κ°€κΉŒμš΄ μˆ˜λ§Žμ€ 고객이 ν™”μž₯μ‹€ ν•˜λ‚˜λ₯Ό λ‚˜λˆ„μ–΄ μ¨μ•Όν•˜λŠ” 상황인데 쒅이 ν•œμž₯으둜 μ•ˆλ‚΄ν•œλ‹€κ΅¬μš”? λͺ…λ°±ν•œ μ„œλΉ„μŠ€ λΆ€μ‘±μž…λ‹ˆλ‹€. μ €μ—κ²Œ λ§μ„ν•˜λŠ” νƒœλ„, μ œκ°€ λ³΄λŠ” 눈 μ•žμ—μ„œ μ €λ₯Ό λΈ”λž™λ¦¬μŠ€νŠΈλ‘œ μΆ”κ°€ν•˜λŠ” ν–‰λ™κΉŒμ§€λŠ” μ΄ν•΄ν•΄λ³΄κ² μŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€. (μ„Έ 번째 λ™μ˜μƒ λ³΄μ„Έμš”. μ €λŠ” μ°¨λΆ„ν•˜κ²Œ μ–˜κΈ°ν–ˆμœΌλ‚˜ ν₯λΆ„ν•˜κ³  μžˆλŠ” 사무μž₯κ³Ό 뢀사무μž₯을 λ³Ό 수 μžˆμŠ΅λ‹ˆλ‹€.)

    A post shared by 🐔 (@connie_kiim) on

    Connie and her friend managed to record a part of the exchange on audio. In it, the crew can be heard speaking “angrily” at them.

    Soon after the incident, KLM responded to Connie with regret and vowed to conduct an internal investigation.

    “When a flight is not fully booked, sometimes a toilet is reserved for crew only. KLM deeply regrets that the passengers on this specific flight were offended because the sign announcing this, was in the Korean language only,” the airline stated.

    “We will conduct an internal investigation and will make sure the crew involved [would] understand why the passengers are upset about what happened.”

    klm
    Image via @connie_kiim

    Feature Images via @conniekim (left) and @hyunmoyang (right)

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