Dear S.E. Pilot,
some thoughts in response to your post:
- You would like to see all of the airlines in HK localize their pilot workforce, do you mean only people from HK or the region? The point is moot really as the countries in the Asian region either have little or no General Aviation from which to draw pilots from. Not all former airforce pilots are suitable to fly in an airline either (the piloting of an aircraft by a former Indonesian Colonel in Phuket springs to mind). So where are all of these pilots going to come from to meet the unprecedented growth in the airlines of HK (and Asia)? Think the the new MPL will solve all problems? Think again, it really won't be much better than the current cadet schemes airlines like CX and KA already have in place in solving crewing problems, and as an afterthought of all of the applicants to these programs, how many people actually successfully pass and end up in the LHS? I suspect that ratio would be very small.
- Thanks for your sympathy, here is some information as to how expensive HK is and how it has been increasing:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=ajQNUP59FCI4
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/top...174117013.html
Talking purely about rent and no other living costs, my apartment went up 20% after the first 2 year lease. Wages have certainly not even kept close to this sort of increase.
- The previous Flight Ops management were fighting for better conditions for us, but, in typical Chinese style they were smiled at and lied to at the same time by the senior management and when their backs turned they were covered in knives. The package that the previous flt ops management presented to their bosses would have actaully kept people had it been approved. The current package presented by the new management is successful, in making people look for other jobs. Which is what they want anyway.
-Finally strike or walk away? Well going on strike, what does that achieve? A good outcome for both the management and the pilots? I don't think so
So walk away huh? I think the evidence is pretty clear that this is already happening, as a colleague previously posted people are only waiting to get another job.
I am unfotunately of the view as well that a smoking hole in the ground, over run etc is only a matter of time.