Originally Posted by
Asturias56
"Far better to be back home working for a local company."
Can I ask what "local" companies are you thinking off?
Every airline in the world is laying off people by thousand - if and when things start to improve slowly most will be recruiting form their old employees for sure - it makes a lot more sense than hiring someone who has never worked for you. I think if you leave HK you're looking at leaving the airline business. My advice is that anyone who currently has a job should cling onto it for dear life and make whatever adjustments you have to and pray for a vaccine
Hong Kong is clearly not immune to the effects of C-19. If the rest of the world is still not in the process of recovery in a couple of years then neither will Hong Kong and the layoffs will begin all over again. But this time under COS18 or COS20 or 21 and all of its draconian policies. .... In the meantime you'll never really know and when it's all said and done, if things haven't improved then many will be heading home anyways - if they can - albeit possibly quite abruptly and joining at the back end of the local hiring/personal networking cue.
Many who are fortunate to have the option to resign or not sign have spouses, kids and other loved ones overseas whom they haven't seen in a very long time and are unlikely to see at all in even longer. How do you possibly balance that with the steaming perma-pile of turd on offer.
The only other option is to sign then try and take a vast amount of unpaid leave if one can maybe be granted it in 1 go. But you won't find out until well after signing. No pay/housing allowance after March, ratings and other endorsements may expire while on leave and all in combination with open season for round 2 with no LIFO. Who would CX chose to layoff - the current pilot in HK or the guy/gal needing stacks of training money to get current and then claim the balance of their ARAP. If you think they would do the right thing then I'm sorry to be the bearer of more bad news but you would need your head examined...don't shoot the messenger.
CX have had 8 months to concoct their master plan and meanwhile telling all that you shouldn't believe the rumours etc... The best that the Dear Leaders could come up with is basically just excellerating the plan that had been on the books well prior to C-19. We have all been given a momentary clear view of the decisions at the highest level. The ones speculated over for years. So now that it's opaque again what do you think is next?
Getting the family out of hk or getting reunited with family overseas in a controlled way in combination with possible options in persuing other sources of income that could very well still be aviation related and getting ones self 'whole' again away from what without doubt will be one of the, if not THE most toxic work environments could very well exceed the value and instability of COS18 and all the other cuts taking place.
The ability to be ready and poised to strike at the first good opportunities back home while being present is also hard to quantify. If one is fortunate to have options then this may be all you need for change. Slow but positive change. The decision is hopefully not simply between CX vs destitution for all. For those who do not have options or lack the courage and fortitude to follow it then I am very sorry.
Cathay and Dragon pilots have all just had the rug collectively pulled out from under our feet. But remember, don't believe the rhumors... because the truth is worse.