Snake Hips,
It is an excellent question you ask regarding the B-Scalers. The strength of feeling seems to be with the HKG based guys and I note that after you talk to them for a while and they get the "whinge element" out of the way (hell..we all feel like a whinge now and then) I think Spineless is spot on; the thing that really grips the guys is the way all staff are managed; DT's treatment of HAECO is often quoted.
In all the whinging, you will rarely, if ever, hear complaints about the Airline; most guys struggled to make it here and once here want CX to be the best; best service; best maintainance; best profit.
It is the frustration of not witnessing the airline realise its potential that has lead to intelligent and articulate guys like Nigel Demery being cheered on by hundreds of pilots (A, B and C scale) as he plots ways to constrict CX's profit. If only that effort could have been harnessed to maximise our profit and constrict the profit of SQ, VS, ... very sad.
Traffic,
No nothing to do with the Oasis fracas. Comes from my ASL days when I was also "banned from Cathay". Love the analogy regarding the prefects. However, I fear the Board of Govenors have stepped in and expelled a few errant children (and a few good ones just to keep the inky swots on their toes). I fear more expulsions and the occasional flogging if any more talking after lights out..
King Kong et al,
I cannot see how a temporary lifting of the ban would work. However, given the ban is actually an IFALPA ban, have you put your arguments to them either directly or by way of your own Union?