Air NZ to operate on HKG-LHR route

[Rice Pudding]

HK government has granted Air NZ rights to operate on HKG-LHR route, and ANZ intend to do this by the end of the year. See SCMP.

[411A]

EXACT same thing happened with BA well over twenty years ago on the LHR-LAX route. The clock is ticking guys, and your time is about UP.

[cribble]

similar message in Aunty Herald in AKL. It was not made clear, however, what logo would be on the tail.

[Rice Pudding]

Yes very true 411a !

With yet another competitor on the route one would hope that they have enough crew to operate all flights. With 255 running late as often as it does, it was no wonder that the new slot that was recently applied for was not given. It is now apparent who it will probably go to !

The clock is ticking :If the company does not address its' crewing problems then very soon the time may just be up...

[Thrust]

No money in the route anyway. Just Swire prestige and Swire prince's ego's keep it going. I'd kick it into touch.


[This message has been edited by Thrust (edited 22 May 2001).]

[drag]

One has to ask why the Government's about face on it's policy of protecting the local carriers, especially on the most
prestigious route we operate .
Personally I think that the Government is tired of the continual state of conflict that exists between Cathay and it's employees . The frequent negative press does not put HK in a particularly good light from a tourism perspective. Added to that the continual cancellation of the 255 LHR flight has made them have a rethink and awarded another carrier the route. One who can and will operate as scheduled..
This is Cathay management's wake up call. The Government has spoken! another summer of discontent may well see them losing more routes,This was hinted at in the article.
This is a huge boost for our negotiating team, how much pressure has been placed upon our illustrious management team by this decision? More than any of us can imagine.... They need a settlement and they need it soon. But I'm not inclined to give them anything less than everything that we have asked for. Time is on our side Gents & Ladies ,we just need to stick together just once and we can once again turn this airline back to what it used to be a career airline

[This message has been edited by drag (edited 23 May 2001).]

[411A]

Why not indeed allow foreign carriers to operate HKG routes. After all, if CX is not inclined to operate on a reliable basis, due to labor difficulties or other problems, someone has to carry the passengers. Seems for once that...."the public will not be damned".

[Capt Chambo]

Any truth in the rumour that bmi will commence operations on the route in November using wet leased SIA (Mauritius) A340's?

[Tom Tipper]

Yes 411A, CX must be just shaking in their boots. ANZ are a cashed-up mega carrier, like a coiled python they are a lethal weapon, cooly siting in the antipodes waiting to strike.

By gee, last time they struck - they smartly outwitted SQ and paid handsomely for full control of AN - and my oh my, hasn't that little investment paid dividends!

True to form they may in fact offer yourself, the esteemed and erstwhile 411A (arbiter of all common-sense and things aviation) a seat on the board with the brilliant knighted gentleman.

That way you could both plot the demise of CX in the same way the knighted gentleman outwitted SQ.

You could then laugh in the face of those nasty overpaid and frankly irrational CX pilots who have been able to achieve so much more over the years than yourself.

Life really is sweet isn't it?

[pontius's pa]

HELLO

I am a PASSENGER

I will pick an airline that will take me where I want to go and when.

If they say awfully sorry, cancelled your booked flight, little industrial problem with the crews don't you know, I say OK, won't see you later.

CX passengers could not give as s**t about the flight crews' alleged mistreatment. We don't care if CX stays in business or not.

You really should wake up, because the CX crews have tried to hold the company to ransom for years by threatening the customers and we are heartily fed up with it. Believe me I am not a lone voice.

Its up to you really, there is a lot of choice now.

(PS by denying F/Os landings, so that they can only do their 3 in 90 days in one session in the Flt Sim is a direct flt safety hazard and a complete abandonment of a commanders's responsibility to do the best one can to protect the safety of one's passengers. Shame on any of you that adopt this practice)

that's it for now

[Dogsbolux]

Hmmmm......You seem mighty knowledgeable for a passenger vis a vis technical expressions and crew jargon. I think you are an eeny weeny plant you devil you.

Now off you go and have a pot of strong black coffee and re-write your posting when you feel a little less 'under the weather'.

Ssssssssh!
<no more from DB until 'apres le deluge'>

[Thrust]

Pontius (or is that pretentious)..... I don't give a stuff about you any more and that's a fact. My rostering is so abysmal that you are at the bottom of my list of priorities.

CX pilots have NOT EVER held the public to ransom, at least not in my 11+ years here. CX MANAGEMENT HAVE. Get your facts straight and don't believe all you read in the SCMP.

I for one will feel just fine if you and your type fly with some other carrier. You will be hard pressed to fly with a safer airline than CX in Asia or indeed around the globe. Good luck to you.

[Herb]

Sorry Pontius..your personal feelings about the issue are much more important than my health and career. What was I thinking?
Ok everyone back to work , not.
Go fly with someone else D@ckhead.

[Tom Tipper]

pontius...well you do seem to be somewhat of a lone voice. CX load factors are up around the 75-90% these days and not dropping.

You of course are entitled to fly with whom you like. Your choices are often China Airlines (on our busiest route to TPE) or Korean to SEL. If that is your choice then so be it - but for many reasons others 'passengers' do give a stuff.

The feedback I get is quite the reverse of that prevented by yourself. Passengers are VERY concerned about their own safety and if that means a few extra dollars for statistically safer aircrew the so be it.

Besides excellent inflight service one of the main reasons passengers fly with us is our safety record. Ironically, dismal rostering practices leading to extraordinary fatigue is the very thing which is likely to jeopardise our enviable safety record.

You don't have to fly CX- it's your choice (and you're evidently in the minority) but as a 'passenger' please don't preach safety to us.

I hope I have given you something to consider.

[Rice Pudding]

Gidday Mister Pontius
How's it going mate
You' got the wrong end of the stick
I'll lay it for ya straight

We had a real good airline
No one would disagree
'Till management refocused
Back in ninety three

The introduced the B scale
Buggered up our lives
And jiggered up the roster
We hardly see our wives (Actually mate my missus was always a bit funny)

Obviously more to it mate
Too much for a short chat
But you seem to know alot of stuff
I really smell a rat !

It's about the market forces
All gone outta whack
Perhaps "industrial action"
Might be worth a crack

We'll stare each other in the eyes
See who can be out lasted
And never mind Rice Pudding mate
She'll turn to goddam custard

So puff ya chest and stomp ya feet
Tell ya boss to flick his hair
Go fly another airline mate
'Cause we don't really care !

[Samsonite]

The thing everyone seems to forget is that when a Government gives rights to a Foreign carrier like this they get the same kind of rights in return.eg Singapore which has been given rights to 4 new ULH destinations out of HK and we can do the same out of SIN.The problem is CX is so far behind and has things so messed up right now that they can't get organized to take up these new opportunities as they are having troubles coping with what they got.Even when this mngmnt gets things right ahead of the competition they lose out.eg,NYC. Cx load factors have fallen off as they sat there and prove NYC possible non-stop and then wait for the competition to start it up and take the pax and now we are going to start non-stop with cheap seats to try and win the pax back.To late,it is time they start innovating again instaed of always playing catch up.

[411A]

......ever faster down the slippery slope.

[pontius's pa]

Oh dear,

I seem to have struck a raw nerve,
Methinks some doth protest too much.

Look, if you feel so strongly, go on strike. Then we unfashionable passengers about whom some don't give a stuff will know where we stand and can make other travel arrangements until the dispute is ended.

The sick out was pathetic. Funnily enough we were talking about in the pub tonight and none of us could remember any CX pilots ever actually going on strike regardless of the posturing that has been going on for years.

I actually believe that you have something of a a genuine grievance over roster disturbances caused by too rapid expansion with not enough crews to cover the additional task.

If I may be excused for using an old poker expression, please either "s**t or get off the pot" then those of us with other jobs, (I nearly said real jobs but changed my mind)can make our travel plans accordingly. Incidentally I have has some good flights on China Airlines. Never knock other airlines, it is tempting fate too much. Remember Qantas (the world's safest airline) at BKK(?) where the findings placed a large element of blame on complacency.

[fossil fuel]

yawn.

[roads runner]

Reminds me of a puppy barking at a full moon....

Woof, Woof, .....

[Rice Pudding]

One might suspect you have a reputation staked on the outcome of this ??