Polar Bear, because, like you, I, and most of my joining brethren who have stuck around, are from below the equator.
The three that left, were two Americans, and one Australian.
If there were other options, when I joined, e.g. EK, then I would have leapt at it. If I could join UA, NW, AA, etc, then I would go for it now (as most of the US guys do as soon as they can). The topic of this post is with regards to length of time to seniority.
CX has a lot of young Captains, and the others, who are reaching age, are now indicating their desire to extend another 5 years on B scale conditions. This will result in a longer time to command than has previously been experienced in Cathay.
If you joined in the 80`s, you joined as an F/O, with a company that didn`t do a lot of long haul. Thus a one to one ratio of F/O`s to Captains give or take.
If you joined in the 90`s, then it was either as an F/O or an S/O with a company that was making a drive into the long haul market, which, for each Captain on a long haul sector, requires two F/O`s and one S/O.
If you join this decade, it is as an S/O, behind a lot of young Captains, F/O`s and S/O`s.
Guys who joined in `90, when time to Captaincy was 3 years, have taken 8-10 years to get there.
Joined in `93, when it was 5 years, probably be the better part of 10-14 years.
`96, when it was taking 8 years, who knows, my guess is 15++
I`m no genius, but I think I see a trend here.
If in some way you are looking for a response to your `Anything good to say about CX` post, then let the lack of answers be a heads up for you chap! Yes, good guys/gals, yes, new a/c, but what of pay, lifestyle, rosters, promotion, contract stability, benefits etc. Why has nothing been said? Is it because you asked for good things to be said?
One assumes you understand the seniority system, and it`s drawbacks in relation to switching jobs. Well that is what a lot of us are living now. When I joined, PPRUNE was unheard of. You are speaking to the people who live in the crystal ball that you are looking into.
Don`t ask a question if you don`t want an honest answer.
[This message has been edited by jtr (edited 28 September 2000).]