NF,
The local line pilots are generally nice people. Wish the same could be said of some instructor pilots and check pilots. Other than being in the sim, the rest is the good part.
Management is the bad part. Cannot be trusted. "Temporary" market allowance adjustments after 9/11 and SARs still not reinstated or increased. No respect for contracts. Making rules and policies at their own fancy.
They are continually taking things away from you. Now we have to commute on home leave days ( 2 soft days either side gone). And on your OFF days in TPE, they put you on reserve duty (RD). Moving into cheaper and cheaper hotels.
Long haul flts that depart at night used to have 4 man, now 3. Still legal, but this is a cost cutting move. Not recommended for an airline that needs to improve safety. Most 3 man crew, 1 capt, 1 relief pilot and 1 FO.
CAL wont be doing some hiring, they'll be doing lotsa hiring. Some locals are leaving even. 1 to H Kong and another to Abu Dhabi, giving confidence for others to make the move. Some expats are comtemplating Great Wall Airlines in Shanghai, Emirates, Etihad and Korean. All recruiting end of 2005.
It's unwarranted hardship and you get played out a lot.
