South Asia and Far East WannabesA forum for those applying to Cathay Pacific, Dragonair or any other Hong Kong-based airline or operator. Use this area for both Direct Entry Pilot and Cadet-scheme queries.
Did stage one interview yesterday and I thought it went pretty good. I also have a friend there and he makes it sound much better than most of the posts on here do. I've asked him about all the negative things on here that people have brought up and from someone on the inside he explained how things really work in more detail than I have been able to find online. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities.
It is unfortunate that some of the CX pilots find Hong Kong as an overcrowded and polluted city when they were not aware of the fact that every big city in Asia will always be overcrowded and polluted. So that is a sign of not doing proper research on their part before joining the airline.
What does that mean? If you get paid extremely well by Cathay Pacific, you're willing to move on and ignore the fact that Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated and polluted cities??
I'm just getting to know more about this as I would love to work for this airline. I met two second officers, one from New Zealand and another from south africa who are enjoying every bit of it at cathay pacific. They became second officers in early 2011. And I didn't hear them whine about the lifestyle and the airline.
It is unfortunate that some of the CX pilots find Hong Kong as an overcrowded and polluted city when they were not aware of the fact that every big city in Asia will always be overcrowded and polluted. So that is a sign of not doing proper research on their part before joining the airline.
The problem is the pollution gets worse every year. Research that.
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I met two second officers, one from New Zealand and another from south africa who are enjoying every bit of it at cathay pacific. They became second officers in early 2011. And I didn't hear them whine about the lifestyle and the airline.
They've only been here 5 minutes. Of course they love it. The rose coloured glasses are still firmly in place. The Shiny Jet Syndrome hasn't worn off yet. Give it a few more years, with families, mortgages, bills, divorces etc on the crappy package they are on, and they will be whining louder than the guys who have been here for awhile.
I'm just getting to know more about this as I would love to work for this airline. I met two second officers, one from New Zealand and another from south africa who are enjoying every bit of it at cathay pacific. They became second officers in early 2011. And I didn't hear them whine about the lifestyle and the airline.
And you don't thing all of us at some point wanted to be here? Don't you think every one of us at one point were feeling incredibly thankfull, happy and proud to be hired by Cathay?
The problem is the pollution gets worse every year. Research that.
Hmm, that is an obvious fact, isn't it? People moving into another country for employment purposes should look into all this if it is a major concern for them. But why this compromise, Dan Buster? Airlines in the Middle-East are calling. What about UK, Australia, Canada, USA (whichever is your home country)...how are the packages there? Please, I'm only looking for good advice.
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They've only been here 5 minutes. Of course they love it. The rose coloured glasses are still firmly in place. The Shiny Jet Syndrome hasn't worn off yet. Give it a few more years, with families, mortgages, bills, divorces etc on the crappy package they are on, and they will be whining louder than the guys who have been here for awhile.
I forgot to mention that one of them is married and has a 5 yr old son. The other pilot isn't though. But I did ask the married guy whether the family was okay about living in Hong Kong. He said they had no problems at all, of course the pollution was a concern. But something they could handle. Apart from that, they're a happy family for the past 16 months. So I'm yet to hear anything disastrous from his side.
Interesting thoughts Daniel. And as per the thousands of posts on the topic, you and the overwhelming majority of CX cadet hopefuls completely disregard the LONG TERM realities of the decisions you think you are making correctly now.
Your iCadet SO mate who is married with the 5 year old kid.... When was his deep seeded "passion" for aviation realised? Did it come via the lowering of standards and requirements that CX now need to do attract applicants (since those with the experience & runs on the board that were previously sort after refuse to work for such an insulting offer)? Is your mate able to "enjoy" this iCadet lifestyle that this remuneration package has to offer because his wife has a well paid job or that he was once one of these bankers / lawyers / other professional with money well saved up that allows him to "afford" this remuneration package? Such pilots (loose term) "passion" is only present because they can "afford" it. Nothing more, nothing less. If none of these points are accurate then for him to live on a continually depreciating income package with a wife, 5 year old all on a single income of approximately $45k HKD per month (year 1, but worth less in year 2 if the rental market increases of course!!) then there is NO WAY he can live comfortably and even hope to retire securely. In fact I believe it damn irresponsible to bring a wife and 5 year old to HK on such a employment contract.
Once the Shiny Jet Syndrome wears off and the life of a CX iCadet SO truly kicks in (a 3-5 year period....) then that is the reality.
So, what of the Middle East, of other jobs in Oz, NZ, Europe you say? OK...do you understand the term "SENIORITY" and it's implications on an airline pilot's career - as it should? Well, to those of us who respect it as a sanctity of our careers. And then , what of contract jobs? They are or can be well paid BUT they come at a cost of job security, career progression and not to mention quite large personal & family lifestyle sacrifices.
Guys like me worked our ar$es off for years to gain the experience for the dream of getting into CX. I was offered the job but then they turned around and offered this insulting C-Scale so most of those in my pool flat out rejected it: all but one I am told. That took 3.5 years for CX to come back to me after my initial letter of congratulations and on this forum kids moan and complain that CX don't get back to them within a week or month!!! What a joke. It reeks of their immaturity. Others just as determined to and just as if not more experienced than me joined before me on B-Scale, obviously. They realised their dream and the fruits of their efforts to get where they prayed to one day be.
So, with this in mind, do you think they then turn around complain easily about the company they (we) worked so hard to get into? Or, maybe there is some truth in the way CX treats it's pilots, how CX treats the black and white of a signed contract, and of the direction this C-Scale implies to the future direction of their contracts....!!! Once again, these are all LONG TERM affects of and histories of the job and CX that all to many of you are wilfully ignorant to. You only choose to see the issues that vilify your want to join CX, and refuse the realities that are offered to you from those with the experience and knowledge of CX.
