I swear, these newsletters just keep getting better and better. It’s like being a late night TV comedy host and waiting for your writers to send you the latest jokes and monologue. This week is no exception. Starting off by the DFO excelling herself in the ‘dumb and dumber’ category. After a patronizing and predictable (obsequious fawning to a Govt. minister) ramble about ‘empowering women’ , she then goes on to conclude the whole piece by quoting Mao Zedong ! Oh, Anna, you mean one of the great monsters of the 20th Century, who was responsible for the deaths of over 45 MILLION of his citizens during his tyrannical reign (yes, that little thing). Of course, no surprise that such a person would be the source of your inspiration. Freudian in many ways. Explains quite a lot about the current state of our little empire…
And speaking of women. I didn’t realize we had such a ‘celebrity’ in our pilot midst. I can hardly wait to read about her wisdom and experience on her precious blog. I hope all of my colleagues will be sure to entrust her with their personal information and thoughts. Imagine, you too could be featured in her ‘blog’. I suppose the rules against photos in the cockpit are not being applied in her case. Special. In any event, I’m sure she will be just ‘thrilled’ to bits with her life in a few months once the reality of the Freighter roster sinks in. Should make for some interesting reading then. Looking forward to the “Leaving HK for my new job” post sometime in the next twelve months.
More blahblah drivel about CMP. AT, without actually having proper pilot input, and keeping the old rostering cronies from destroying the optimized patterns, it is all a complete-waste-of-time. It is already well on course to make the pilots lives worse, and become yet another chapter in the book of “Epic CX Failures”. Just ask the Freighter pilots who's lives are being degraded even further (if that was even possible, which apparently it is, with the exception of the epic win described below).
Regarding the bad weather in Europe and the US. I love how you try to slide into your comments how the crew ‘helped out’. My experience is that every day, nearly every flight, nearly every crew member is adamant that the last thing they will do is help beyond the letter of their contracts. And that will be our resolve until we achieve our justified goals, or before most of us have left for other jobs.
GMA Update on Bases: We heard perfectly clearly what DP was saying AT. You intend to shuffle paper around for the next year, and then and only then will you deign to ‘share’ a strategy. That doesn't even mean you will be adding bases, just letting us in on the 'strategy'. So, basically, no bases in the foreseeable future. And I suspect that even if you do offer them, they will be compromised on terms and conditions, and probably only a few slots, over many many years. Nothing to look forward to, and the reason that many of our colleagues are making their plans to leave CX. They are fed up with having themselves taken for fools, and constantly messed about by self-serving managers. To conclude: Yes AT, we did understand perfectly clearly what DP was telling us.
Annual Results: A detailed breakdown as to how one Swire company can siphon off most of their profit to benefit other Swire companies. Outcome: CX doesn’t have to pay their staff a bonus or profit sharing. Will be interesting to see how they manage that this year.
Nice to see that they are attacking the problems on the Freighter fleet. You will be all happy to know that they have installed Tumbler Trays. Success!! Now that the big problem is solved, perhaps they can find some time to tidy up the small items, like rostering, fatigue, seniority, days off, broken families etc... But "Ice Pirates", be happy, you have your Tumbler Trays.
Screening of “Hidden Figures”. Perfect for showing around here. A movie about showing up ' smart technical guys’. More subliminally known around these parts as ‘lets denigrate the pilots’, generally speaking a technique our management have employed for years. Apparently America wouldn’t have got to the moon without the girls, and CX can't aviate without them either (just no diversions, please....
). There is a great moment in the movie, when a long-suffering woman of 'colour' is confronted by her white female boss in the restroom: " You know Dorothy, I don't have anything against you people of colour". Dorothy responds: "And I am certain you believe that". Reminds me in a curious way of OUR management. They tell you things that are ridiculous on their face, and you realise they actually believe what they are telling you. As pathetic in real life as it is in the movie. And I wait with baited breath for 'Male Pilot Appreciation Day' (or how about just give me my 13th month and we'll call it even?).
Kasakhstan Air Astana: another expensive staff travel destination. I suspect that their pilots have a better rostering and leave system than we do. Usually the case.
Pest Control: haha…where could I go with this one. I only wish.
Until next week. Traf.