I agree with the statement that we have a great bunch of guys operating the freighter... well motivated people. However, management style can only be described as the "back to school" variety with a hint of ex military overbearing crassness.
Early commands are now a thing of the past, but it's been a great opportunity for the early joiners. Many people are now dissilusioned with the way in which FTL's and poor rostering practices are applied. Be prepared to have the bat pushed up where it hurts... it's Dragonair's ball, and they'll field it in every which way that they can... but not where you can take a swipe at it!
Contract Compliance is now perhaps starting to hurt the Company; but the main thrust is coming from the Airbus crews... freighter crew have largely been in contract compliance for the past couple of years... but gone unnoticed! Very few freighter crew will not work on a day off or even think about going into discretion; largely because the whole company operation is one sided... take, take and take more! Morale is at an all time low; couple that with the lack of a suitable simulator, plus the trickle of people who are now reading Flight International from the rear pages first; leave issues; pay issues; contractual issues... the list goes on; perhaps an accident is waiting to happen! Crews are tired, maintenence isn't the best... and there's always the evergrowing management opportunity to take a swipe at someone or apportion blame where it's not needed.
A 2% increase in salary is on the table for the Manchester based crew... it's an insult. Firstly, they need to have the gratuity boosted to 15%... in line with the rest of the Company... and there should be a vote to reject the pittyful 2% offer.
The fixes that are required to "fix" the ongoing problems can only come from the board and the management... they should look inwards at their own style of management before asking anything more of the dedication and hard graft that has been put in by the people on the shop floor.
It could be a superb operation, but the lack of trained staff within both the operational and administrative departments... and the need for more freighter crew in HKG, makes the whole operation look like the new complex being built on Lantau... Disneyland!