meaning of Flight attendant

The (white) flight attendant that Ahmed encounters on his journey to London is a symbol of the racism and xenophobia of the Western world. The flight attendant asks Ahmed's seatmate if she would like the chicken or beef for her in-flight meal, and when the woman asks, "What's the difference?" (175), the flight attendant begins explaining what a chicken is. The woman was simply trying to ask for more specifics about the two meal options, but the flight attendant assumed she was so ignorant that she did not understand the word "chicken." This is an inauspicious beginning for Ahmed's return to England.