Are you suggesting that the number of SO's Cathay has at the moment won't be sufficient to crew flights in the near future? If that is the case then will CX again take expats or just lower the standard to get more through the door?
That's an excellent question. I know what I would prefer to see, but I can just about guarantee that whatever option CX chooses when the crunch hits (and it will)...will be the option that invokes the least cost.
There's only one thing that drives them (we read it almost daily in updates, staff letters and press releases).
Money.