Remember these are guys who had SIGNIFICANT experience in many facets of GA or the military, and who will probably have had to use their aquired skills to stay alive in many a hairy situation. They are hired by CX as future commanders for that skill, experience and will to live, to protect Cathays safe reputation. They were hired not only for what they do on a day to day basis, but for what they CAN do when the !!!! hits the fan.
Another one of those who thinks expat are better... and that LEP does not deserve what they are pay for... for me, I have no problem with your expat pay and allowance... I have never questions ur abilities on the job... however, only you have questions ours but our abilities are no less than yours... I really don't understand some expat mentality really. Why do you think expat are the only one who protect Cathays safe reputation? Are you implying LEP are not safe pilot? This single comment tell me how arrogant you are.
Major Banks, Law Firms, Insurance Companies, ESF, Universities all entice people to HK with a package (better than mine normally).
They offer package to expat but they are the same package that will be offer to locals... For me, I do have a lot of families and friends who are in banking, law firms and especially insurance companies executives... everyone is on a different pay grade (kinda like CX office staff, where you have Grade A, B, C, D, E level staff)... but expat does not get better package than locals who are on the same grade level... most expat might join as a mid-level staff so their starting benefits will be better than most locals who joins at the bottom of the company... but once a local reaches the same level as the expat, they have the same benefits... so when banks (or others) are offering package to attract overseas people to work in HK, they are indeed offering the package that is good enough for someone to move to HK... but the same package can be obtain as well for locals who join at the same grade... and this is what I am talking about... so I think you are a bit confuse on what I am referring to.
As for the instructor program... I am saying why the inconsistency on offering expat package to this specific group of pilot? This particular group of pilot can be both locals or foreigners (majority foreigners though, with only a few with HKID)... but they are not the traditional expat because when they join this program, they are just like any cadet applicants with no previous flying experience. Even those who happens to have some flying experience will not be enough to apply for the DESO position at CX. So CX is willing to sponsor these applicants and offer them expat package and yet they are telling cadet who joins on the same qualification that they can only have local terms? As many of the expat who posted on this topic, the reason why expat are supposedly worth more is because they are bring their experience to HK where otherwise it will not be available here. But if they are not really bring those experience to HK, why pay them the premium? I am simply using your own argument here... I know life is not fair, but it doesn't hurt to try to get more if you can... also this simple actions by the company gave LEP a reason why we should ask for more from the company. As we can see from the company's action, they are willing to pay more but they will not do so unless they have do... which tells me there is room for negotiations for LEP...
Finally, for all those expat who reply to this post...
For those of you who thinks I am playing the race card... the same can be said about your strong objections on why LEP does not deserve to fight for a better package from the company... is it because of race or is it because you are just being defensive about your own status quo and you do not want anyone catching up to your package? What does this say about you? Does it hurt you that LEP want to fight for the same package? As I have said many many times again, I have no problem with expat getting what they are getting... in none of my argument has I ask for the expat allowance to be dropped... (I am simply saying we should have a single HK package for all pilots)... you guys spend most of your career trying to get into CX and good for you that you made it here and you deserve what you get pay... as for me being a LEP, I will continue to fight for a better package but at least I know I will never undermine my fellow colleagues (expat or local) for their fight to get a better package... and in fact, I will support the expat fight for a better package (example will be your housing allowance when it comes up for renegotiation) even if it does not have an immediate impact on my own package...
For those who continually believe that expat pilots are superior to local pilots... all I have to say is that, this is your personal opinions and I can never change that... there is certain standard at CX, I am sure if you does not meet those standard, it doesn't matter are you local or expat, you will be chop... so I am sure those who meet the standard are qualified pilots... as for who is better? Neither... I have flown with some awesome local pilots and I have flown with some awesome expat pilots... being good or not have nothing to do with your background or how many years you have been flying... so I guess everyone should just tone down on their superiority complex... We are pilot and we always thinks we are better than others... it must be our type A personality... but everyone is only doing the same job really...
Anyway, thanks for this discussion... laters