they are discussing some education allowance for locally employed pilots
AQIS Bogui,
You are a couple of years late on this one. Educational allowance is already there for LEPs. The allowance is the same for any pilot. 90% off an ESF etc etc.
SmilingKnifed,
Basically, you are offered every benefit a DEFO would get (DESO non existant now) except for housing. But with your experience, I'm surprised you are even considering such a scheme.
Even the new 30 week "short course" wouldn't be for you. I must admit that I'm even surprised CX have invited you for an interview. I assume you are a SFO for Flybe and with your hours, you would be looking at a 50% cut in your wages if you came to Cathay. (The Q400 can't be that bad to land hence you fancy sitting in the back of a 777/A340 for 4 years eating sandwiches!!). The monthly wage is roughly HK$33000 or £2800 and I am sure you are on twice that.
I would say wait for DEFO (plus the benefits that go with it) but in all honesty, you'd probably be beaten at the post by other applicants with not only more hours but with Jet Time on type. Take a look at the Sandpit forum and you'll see the moment DEFO is opened again, you'll have a thousand Emirates pilots trying to apply as they want out.
In terms of upgrades, well rather than basing on hearsay, look at the facts. In a stable environment, you are looking at a max of 4 years. 3 is actually the norm. Even COS08 only shows wages upto a Year4 SO before the table starts on Year1 JFO. JFO upgrades have resumed this year and the SOs that will be upgraded (that also includes CPP cadets) will have been an SO for max 5 years (and this accounts for a very unfortunate few). The majority are actually closer to 4 years AND, don't forget, they were SOs during the worst financial crisis, plus the extension to the retirement age
So during this wave of optimism (cautious optimism I may add), I expect normal service to resume and SOs shouldn't be waiting for more than 4 years anymore.
Like I said before though, with your wealth of experience, there is no course on offer that you would fit into.