Originally Posted by
rodney rude
ACMs
You said my position would be safe against and S/O taking my command. I am currently an F/O - so under your system your S/O gets a command before me. AS an F/O with kids i just break even here. Extend my command out by another 8 years or so and myself and many of my buddies will run. Surely not what CX or KA wants at a time of high recruitment.
First off I worry about however this comes out as the only thing that is guarenteed is that CX will do what is best for CX. You can bet that will be bad for somebody!
Mr. Rude, as to your above quote, presumably you would be on CX pay scale while you wait for command and as an FO on said scale with kids I can tell you that I am better off than at home (for the moment). So you will not see anyone "running off" , be that AUS or where ever. Also while you wait for command at CX you can take a base. Pretty good compared to waiting it out for 10 years here, what with worsening pollution etc.
Originally Posted by
rodney rude
... going through all the more "senior CX pilots" who at the moment are failing in dumbfounding numbers - add up the cost of waste training until you get to the KA guys who can actually pass.
The company may not look at the KA guys with such relish as you suggest. There are quite a few commanders from Air Hong Kong who came over and were not given commands at cathay. These were guys with alot of heavy jet time (not light twin, 320 time) and yet they also could not pass a command at CX, not even on the freighter !(sorry guys :-))That is to say they were already flying freighters not that freighters is in any way an easier or less standard command!!
Also food for thought ALL of the Air Hong Kong guys went to bottom of the seniority list but the FOs kept their seats (if they passed the course, but all did) but their seniority was lower than some SOs who have subsequently caught up. As for Captains I am not awhere of how that all fell into the CX system. I know some may have re-qualified and are on the freighter but some did not and are pax fleet FOs. Of course this was easily done as we were only talking about less than 60 guys (I wait to be corrected on exact numbers) With KA much bigger issue.
My two cents worth is this. CX continues KA brand into China and on routes suited to smaller planes or increased frequency. These might be the routes that the newer LCC begin to operate. Offer more freq and lower the price to compete. So they will keep a portion of the flight crew seperate. Any routes that CX wants to fly the CX flag on or perhaps take over some but not all of the departure/arrival slots in order to gain market awareness and perhaps larger market share. CX will poach appropriate crew from KA, dependant on the number of aircraft to be transferred. They will transfer the FOs with not too much problem but will still play silly buggers with the Commanders ( until you have proven youself in the CX culture). CX's need for commander's will have then reached critical levels so they may not be able to bugger too many commands up, but they will do some. Meanwhile the rest of the FO CX list will watch as some of the KA Captains move into CX left seats. There is the possibility that the KA guys would be used to fill the freighter slots but that would mean the loss of type rated guys staying on their rated machines.
Just a guess !
It will be justified under the guise of expansion being good for all !
GET YOUR HELMETS ON BOYS