Sorry JA but that's factually incorrect. CX now make you pay upfront 50% and I believe that number is $700kHKD (happy to be corrected). This is repaid over 3 years, so $20kpm. deduct that from your Yr1,2,3 SO salary, tax rent, living costs and you are left with around $5000-$8000pm....assuming you has a wad of cash to start with to help with the setup costs!
So the way that CX are recouping that 50% of the training is by no longer paying the HKPA, I'm unsure if this applies to everyone on the new COS18 or just cadets. You are right of course that CX is now making cadets contribute to their training through salary deductions but as this is paid from salary deductions I wouldn't count this as up-front in the same way the BA or easyJet scheme runs where the money has to be found prior to training (so either rich parents, massive savings or a loan which you're going to have to pay a massive amount of interest on).
This salary reduction scheme is the same way that Air France's, Aer Lingus and Lufthansa's schemes work.
If you guys have any suggestions as to better ways to break into the industry then please let me know. I realise I missed off the military from my options (although pretty much all European airforces are being cut down atm) and instructing to build hours (although still leaves the initial investment and even though its not great, a CX SO lifestyle sounds better than an instructors, also progression is much faster and easier) but the state of the industry is pretty ****e for wannabes, even with a 'pilot shortage'.