So reading between the lines.
For the whole of this year we have been blamed if the bus leaves later than ETD-60 but nobody cared to tell us until now.
ISD unilaterally decide to leave the cockpit crew behind if we are still busy with the paperwork, publish this directive to ISMs (how long ago?) but not FOP, and now have been belatedly requested to let us know that they'll go ahead.
FOP being the eunuchs of the separate "empires" within Cathay will just suck-up being the cause of any delay if we don't get to the a/c by STD-50. I personally would love to go straight to the a/c, save me at least 15min travel time in reporting and then the extra 10min getting back to the airport from CX City. The airport is of course where CX City should have been located if the airline truly had an operational focus in the first place, saving cents spending dollars comes to mind.
Ramp Controllers have done a 5 minute CBT course so they can determine in the 5 seconds they spend in the cockpit that the cockpit aren't ready at STD and FOP accept that! What Bull****.
Safety is our Priority so what is the delay code for Safety Anna?
So after an expensive consultants report it will be recommended we sign on even earlier but as Cathay had the forethought to only pay HDP on block time not Duty time it won't cost the group a single cent.