On the flight to HKG, I was seated at the front area of the Economy Class cabin. Across the aisle, I noticed that the lady sitting there looked very familiar. And after seeing her entourage of 5 gregarious little boys, my hunch was confirmed.
She's a famous HKG socialite who happens to be Filipina. I've seen her in a number of magazine covers, but I must say that she's much more radiant in person. She has that movie star/model aura, but without the attitude. Throughout the flight, her demeanor was very pleasant and gracious, and you wouldn't think that she's part of one of the richest families in HKG.
Which probably begs the question, why isn't she in Business class?
As a friend once told me, the real, old rich are people who don't really pay attention to the part of the plane their sitting in or who shares their space. They live, act and behave like everyone else, and it just so happens that their wealth is equivalent to "everyone else's" combined. They don't like being the center of attention, or pushing people around, or brandishing their status for everyone to see. Those qualities are reserved for the "noveau riche."
Actually, this isn't the first time I was in the same plane (and in the same economy class cabin) with the rich and famous. In one CX flight, I was sitting in the same row as a Zobel, a real Zobel. I've shared a flight with a Tantoco family as well, and they, too, were very low key.
It makes me admire how they were brought up by their families. They must've been taught at a very young age that just because you have money, you should treat everyone like your paid servant. And having been on flights with the "noveaus" who order flight attendants around like they were waitresses, these people should learn a thing or two from the "real" rich.
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