Eyes open
Hi All. I know it is exciting to look forward to a airline job. I know as it was for me and still is for me now. I have been with Cathay since 1998 and love my job. I just think you should not ignore this package you are being offered. Be very aware that if you come here with no housing allowance you will not be able to afford to live here. It is one thing being in a low paid job in your own country, and a completely other thing to be in a low paid job in some one else's country. In Hong Kong most foreigners have quite well paid jobs and these are the people you will be socialising with. You will just be miserable and resentful when you find out too late that you can't afford to buy your kids milk in the supermarket. Don't think about staff travel as you won't be able to afford it. Small 3 bedroom flat at the moment in DB about 15 to 25000 per month. Not much left on a 32000 per month income. And for those that have been told no school allowance as local schools are free. First, classes are in Cantonese, and second if you were going to send your kids through the public school system, why would you not do it in your own country.
You are being misled in the interview. By the time you find this out, if you came with a family, they wont be here as you will not be able to support them in Hong Kong. I have two children, wife and a nice garden apartment. I live in a style that I would expect to live in my own country given the job I have. If I was living a as a pauper and not around my family and friends at the same time, then I could not live as an ex-pat.
I've taken the time to post this as you need to know the facts. If you have a job in aviation, do not leave it for this one. If you are unemployed at the moment with little or no prospects of employment in your country then ok. Hell, I even got housing paid for when I was working in PNG nearly 20 years ago.