Another corrosive factor in the ever declining standards and career outlook for CX pilots is the fact that CX can, and will, hire anyone from anywhere. There was a time when they only hired the "best", mainly airline pilots from other established first world carriers, or RAF/RAAF pilots, either transport or fast-jet. There was NEVER any question of their abilities as pilots, or as individuals. Now, we have seen the airline populated by people who normally would have been clerking in a bank, working in hotel management or waiting in a restaurant. We now have people from more third world nations than first world nations flying for CX. Look around dispatch during the busy times of day and the writing is on the wall as to where this airline is heading. The day of the experienced, first world thinking expat pilot at CX is over. In another 10 years, there will be few expats left, and it will be (especially in HK) another Chinese airline. Not saying that with bitterness, simply an acknowledgement of where the management have allowed CX to evolve. It will be a lonely place for the few western expats on the flight deck, and much sooner than most suspected. As that realisation is now sinking in, it is causing the ever increasing exodus of expats from CX, replaced by the ever increasing stream of mainly local wannabe cadets, who's knowledge of "aviation" is less than most school boys in the UK. Come back in 10 years and we can debate the accuracy of the above. I will place a bet that I am not far off. It's over, and it's time for anyone who can establish a career back in their home countries to realise that the sooner they make the move, the better off they will eventually be. To stay here is to wither and die.