Originally Posted by
corporal klinger
I don't find it irrelevant at all if you are still at Cathay. Quite the opposite actually.
Your claim Cathay is much slower than other airlines to return to pre-pandemic levels is questionnable. EK not before Summer 2024, as an example.If you take into account that EK could restart earlier, this would give Cathay until 2025 to be at same rate.
https://aviationweek.com/air-transpo...-service-clark
By your logic, then, CX ought to make record profits this year. The difference is that since the recovery began, and restoring full pre-covid capacity, EK has managed to blast out record breaking profits and CX is wallowing around. It’s a flailing wreck. It is hated by every member of staff and by the locals alike.
EK’s profit margin was 9.9%. It’s no secret that they are short of crew, despite paying pilots more than they did pre-covid, and a contract that wipes the floor with CX on every single metric.
Will CX achieve a 9.9% margin this year? No, of course not. They never came close to that in the many years I was there.
The fact is that just like post SARS, there is a window of huge pent-up demand. CX has been unable to capitalise on it, unlike SQ/EK etc. the reason for this is because of an acute shortage of frontline staff. The reason for that is (for pilots) the imposition of COS18.
Airlines restored pay and brought back their crew (or the crew they wanted), and are able to recruit. CX can’t get their departed crew back, and the only ones they can find are local cadets, who will be SOs in 18 months time. I’m no manager, but looking at the experience/rank demographic of those who left, are they being replaced with like for like capability?
The opportunity cost will be several billion.
They deserve everything they (don’t) get.