Atlas
I don't think you can get a balanced opinion on prune. CX pilots are in the middle of a protracted industrial tussle. The more pilots that arrive on the package on offer the weaker the argument is for the need for improvement. So don't expect anyone to talk about CX in glowing terms.
As far as Dragonair goes I can give you the run down. Disclaimer. The package on offer now is different to the one I'm employed on, ( I'm on an expat contract). Anti discrimination laws in Hong Kong now mean only a standard contract can be offered for all employees whether expat or local. The standard contract on offer now is inferior to the expat contract in the two critical areas of housing and child education.
Advantages
Expanding. ( time to command around 2 years) Company needs captains so is changing the command course to achieve a higher pass rate. 5 aircraft confirmed coming next year and a further 5 rumoured.
Leave system. 40 days leave but combined with guaranteed days off gives you 10 weeks leave in defined blocks. Works very well. CX has a ****e system where drivers are struggling to get leave allocated. KA's is brilliant.
No Bond. Type ratings are free. If you don't like it you can move on.
Smaller so everyone tends to know everyone.
Lifestyle roster requests. Earlies, lates, weekends off, max night stops
Fleet swap. 2 years frozen on fleet only.
Reasonably stable roster ( at this point in time. Can be highly unstable at other times)
Part time option. Month on, month off. Slots for this are as rare as chickens lips but it's awesome if you can get on it. Only for very senior guys at the moment.
Hong Kong. Probably one of the easiest places to be an expat. English mostly spoken, plenty of good bars, restaurants, sporting clubs, sailing, beaches etc, plus easy access to nice places in Asia and direct flights worldwide.
Disadvantages
Hong Kong is hugely expensive. If you are single or a couple with no kids then you will be ok ( ish) depending where and what you are prepared to live in. Throw a couple of kids into the mix and life gets more difficult. Housing and schooling are prohibitively expensive. KA offers schooling and housing ( special) allowance but these will only partially offset the costs. Research the costs of renting, schooling and school debentures before you come, otherwise it could be a nasty shock. Purchasing a property is pretty much out of the question in the short term unless you arrive cashed up. Prepare for a lot of your "bigger " wage to be gobbled up in rent and school fees.
Commuting??? Only for the desperate or brave. Short haul rosters aren't suited for commuting and will take a mental and physical toll on you. A couple of guys have their family in Phuket. This seems the least stressful of the commuting options.
Command course. ( see above). Very little training. You are given a 3 month long check ride. Very high failure rates. In recent times this has stunted the growth of the airline due to lack of commanders and an unwillingness of suitable FOs bid for command.
China flying. Not hard, just frustrating. China does it's best to take the enjoyment out of flying. Luckily the non Chinese destinations are on the rise.
Pollution. It's a constant in HK and China. You need the 10 weeks leave to get some clean air.
KA is fully owned by CX. This could be good or bad. For the first 8 years of CX ownership I'm pretty sure they didn't have a plan for us, or even knew we existed. KA stagnated. Only in the last 18 months has there been real expansion. Possibly there is a long term plan but if there is then CX are keeping it to themselves. Generally it appears that decisions regarding KA are last minute an opportunistic rather than planned. To highlight this KA have had no ( none, zip, zilch) new aircraft orders for several years now. The 320s are some of the oldest flying and the 330s are CX handmedowns. CXs industrial situation has required them to utilise KA. I don't think this was a long term plan but a convenient last minute solution. This sort of thinking could be detrimental if you are planning a career here. A change of heart by CX management could see growth and commands come to a rapid grinding halt.
Weigh things up. Hope it helps