‘COS18 remains competitive for HK,’ is absolute nonsense.
COS18 will only ever be remotely competitive if the airline is flying a full schedule and pilots can earn productivity pay, which is absolutely not the case right now or at any time in the near future.
Large productivity pay is an pre-condition to the success of COS18.
So any DEFO or other recruit who is promised this competitive contract needs to realise that he or she must first spend a couple of years helping the airline rebuild towards a full schedule before cashing in any form of decent salary.
That’s not a great pitch for recruiting pilots.