Mrfox
You need to get your head around some basic facts and man-up;
1. Ex-pat allowances are not Salary... fact.. Some like to few them as income... good luck to them.... However, anyone taking that view is on a very slippery slope.
2. No where on the planet are earnings determined by fairness; they are determined by the market: fact. If ex-Pat allowances are not paid, HK would not get the talent it requires to be as successful as it is.... fact... However, this is changing as local talent comes through.... that's progress... all have to deal with it...
3. If you don't like your Salary/Allowance package... say so at the Interview... don't come on here blubbing or playing the race card after the event.
4. If the AOA represents good value to you: join; if it doesn't: don't. Coming on here moaning that others may or not be paying more or less is back in the blubbing category... man up...
5. If an expat pays for his training or endures/survives a military career and ends up in CX and does well out of being an expat... well played that person I say. If a LEP gets CX to pay for his training and he wants to play the ex-pat game... join Emirates 500 hrs after JFO... again I say.. well played that person.
We all make choices; some are well researched, others are based on luck... either way deal with it... but don't come on here blubbing like a Princess..