I've been thinking about this and I wonder if, without any experience "inside" QF, or asking anyone.. but I wonder if one aspect of QF's service model is to encourage a "relaxed" and less formal experience for pax with the idea of "relaxed" being loosely interpreted by some? I also feel crews tend to take their cues from the CSM on any particular flight.
I find NZ tend to be more consistent with their "relaxed kiwi hospitality" style in that I usually know what to expect and it's service that is warm without being cloying or formally stuff and usually pretty prompt and efficient but also allowing for one to, for example, linger over a mug of tea or dessert.
QF I find, specially international, either way tto speed through service on say a supper flight (which makes some sense) or dawle along at whatever pace.
And then you get situations where different FA's serve different sides of a cabin and some work at a faster pace, or are busy serving a deanding pax or whatever and the appearance is of one side doing things differently to the other.
I've had this on many carrriers. I see it often on UA, usually with more senior crew being.. less efficient shall we say at times. but that's also an unfair generalisation because I absolutely have had experiences with ex-PA (yes that's going back!) FA's with 40ish years experience providing the BEST service by a mile. So it's really not fair to make generalisations...
... and thus we get back to the idea of culture and race being an issue. Obviously someone's background MAY come through with their service .. but you know what this is also where a good CSM, for example, can note this and instruct that FA more appropriately to adhere to the company's service standards. Of course if the CSM has a bad service attitude (for whatever reason, which most likely may have nothing to do with culture or race - and I'm meaning generally any airline not QF or EK here) then you're in trouble.
I've noted previously a few times an experience about 15 years ago in SQ F where I flew to London (absolutely amazing for the time) and it just so happened that on my return trip I had the same cabin crew LHR-SIN. I was greeted at the door like an old friend, they had the Krug waiting etc which was stunning.. but what was more stunning was the purser(as they were known in those days IIRC) came to me during boarding and said "I noted you had a poor service experience on the flight into London sir. Just to let you know that crew member is working Economy on this sector" (I was gobsmacked and felt awful). The bizarre thing was that *I* didn't have an issue with the service on the previous flight, nor did I note anything to any of the crew or have any complaints.. so I felt even worse and wondered if it was a confusion of pax, but given he remembered my preferences and stuff when I boarded I do not think so. Anyway that's an extreme example of "enforcing service standards" to me, and I felt so bad for her (I think it was a she).. and I am not saying a QF CSM or EK crew member should be banished for poor service, but really.... I do think that one's personal feelings, attitudes beliefs etc stay at home if you go to work for a customer focused business like an airline and adhere to their standards.. whatever they may be. Obviously we all have bad days and that can get through, but even so I'd hate to think that on a carrier like QF, for example, which is pretty egalatarian in spirit and as a corporate entitity wouldn't condone actions taken by a staff member (or customer for that matter) based on culture or religion that was outside of acceptable norms.
Incidently I've never felt any issue with any of the many nationalities EK have on their flights that I've ever received different levels of service from anyone in particular because of their background, but maybe I just don't notice such things
