North America Cathay Questions

[poudaduk]

I am living in Portland, OR and hoping to get a job with CXF. I am a former USAF guy, currently flying KC-135s in the reserves with most of my experience on the Hercules. I have a few questions that I appreciate anyone taking the time to answer:

1) Does Cathay have ANY jumpseat agreements in North America? What about foreign airlines? What about ID90 or ID95 fares? Family benefits?

2) What kind of medical coverage in NA does Cathay provide?

3) Can you eventually bid somewhere else. My wife is a Brit and in 3 - 4 years want to live in the UK (due to her I have the right to work there). I am willing to go either CXF or can one bid directly to a passenger domicile with the proper seniority?

4) As an American do I need a work permit to fly out of Vancouver BC. It is obviously closer to where I live.

5) I have been reading a lot of posts and am particulary interested in what any Americans or Canadians working for Cathay feel about the company. I realize that it is not a perfect company, but how is it now? Big picture, to me the pay seems OK, and my end game is time off with my wife and kids. For our goals as a family, Cathay seems like the perfect company, start out in North America and work our way back to Europe with some seniority. Is this realistic?

Thanks in advance to anyone providing information.

Safe Flying

[BlueEagle]

I'm moving this thread to the main FH forum as I believe you will get the answers you are looking from the guys already employed rather than the Hopefuls in the Wannabes section but I'll leave re-direct so that everyone can see it.

BlueEagle - Moderator.

[FYI]

1) Does Cathay have ANY jumpseat agreements in North America? What about foreign airlines? What about ID90 or ID95 fares? Family benefits?

re. jumpseating,I don't think there are any formal agreements, but some guys get away with it if they try. CX can't reciprocate, so thats mainly the reason why it generally doesn't work. Can get ID90's etc. which is what most of the commuters in Nth America use. CX is oneworld so often cheapest ID's with AA, but can get them with just about everybody. You have family travel benefits, and can also nominate 2 others to receive ID travel.eg. your folks.

2) What kind of medical coverage in NA does Cathay provide?

excellent medical coverage...but no dental

3) Can you eventually bid somewhere else. My wife is a Brit and in 3 - 4 years want to live in the UK (due to her I have the right to work there). I am willing to go either CXF or can one bid directly to a passenger domicile with the proper seniority?

yes you can. you can go anywhere that you want, but any citizenship/immigration issues are up to you to look after. you can't bid straight to a base on the pax fleet, as if you want to join on the pax fleet you will be joining as an SO and be on a HKG base. If you wanted to go to the UK in 3-4 years, it would seem that the most likely path for you would be to do your 3 years on the freighter fleet in Nth America, and then follow the progression to the pax fleet. The transfer to the pax fleet at the moment involves becoming HKG based and then requesting a new base straight away if you want that. Theoretically, this could mean that you be HKG based for a day and then bid for and possibly get a London base (depending on whether there were any availability for the London base at the time).

4) As an American do I need a work permit to fly out of Vancouver BC. It is obviously closer to where I live.

if you took a Vancouver base (not on offer for the freighter anyway...) you get paid in Canadian $$, so although reasonably strong at the moment, I don't think it would be the best for someone living in the US! By the way, there is a pax YVR base but not a freighter one. Living in Portland, the LA base would be the best and a reasonably easy commute I would think.

5) I have been reading a lot of posts and am particulary interested in what any Americans or Canadians working for Cathay feel about the company. I realize that it is not a perfect company, but how is it now? Big picture, to me the pay seems OK, and my end game is time off with my wife and kids. For our goals as a family, Cathay seems like the perfect company, start out in North America and work our way back to Europe with some seniority. Is this realistic?

most Canadians I think would agree that its basically the best job they could hope to get (unless you can't stomach the long haul flying I guess). As for Americans, the last few years of airline history in the US have left alot of the Americans in CX feeling alot better about themselves. There are still plenty of issues to be worked through (49ers etc), but its a pretty good place to work for , especially when you consider that CX made a decent profit last year, even after being decimated by the whole SARs business for half the year. The schedule is ok (no bidline, you get your roster on the 15th for the following month) and you'll work generally between 13-16 days /month and you get 6 weeks leave from the start. The roster on the pax fleet in Nth America is very good, mainly because it is all long haul, and so more time off. One of the benefits that the freighter guys have at the moment is that you don't have to sit reserve in your base....ie. good for commuters. but the deal basically hinges on you answering the phone on the day or 2 before your reserve. Probably expect 2-3 days reserve/month. You'll start on about $61K USD year 1 on the freighter, plus 15.5% of that paid by the company as prov fund which you can take as cash or join the company prov fund in HKG. Overall, I don't think you would regret joining. They are trying to expand the freighter operation in Nth America, so you could conceivably expect a quicker path to a job than for perhaps somebody applying as an SO to HKG.
goodluck.

[ManagedNav]

FYI - Excellent post; Thank You.

I am a furloughee from Northwest Airlines and have sent a request for an application via email to the address indicated on the site. I am slightly concerned because I sent it on the 12th of March and have yet to receive anything from them.

I want to know if you think I fit the profile. Apart from flying Part 121 for carriers like NWA and American Eagle, I also flew freight for ATI for five years. A/C flown include DC-9, DC-8, B-727, A-320 and I am currently flying as Captain on a Citation III for a charter outfit.

I am worried that something in my resume caused CX to by-pass me for further evaluation. Have you heard how long it takes to get an application pack after requesting for one? Or am I just being impatient? I have done alot of due diligence on CX and I really think it is the ideal career path for me.

I look forward to your comments....

[rwelch]

ManagedNav,
I sent a resume on FEB. 24th and just received
an application on the 26th of MAR.
Hope this helps.
rwelch

[ManagedNav]

Wow- I had heard guys were getting them in a little over a week...I hope we didn't miss the boat to Fragrant Harbour!

[FYI]

ManagedNav,

I would think that the timing of rwelchs' send and receive is about right. Chill out for a bit longer. As for your experience, certainly don't sweat that, you look like you are probably way ahead of alot of other applicants in that department, and I'm pretty sure that if you meet the mins, you'll be sent an application.

goodluck

FYI

[TWApilot]

It took almost a month to get my application. They just send it through regular mail, so it didn't end up in my mailbox untill about 10-12 days after the postmark.

Just give it some time.

[rwelch]

What are the differences in SO Starting salary and FO starting salary?
What is the deciding factor on which position they offer you?
If you are an SO what is the typical upgrade time to FO?
Thanks
rwelch

[FYI]

What are the differences in SO Starting salary and FO starting salary?

Direct entry FO on the freighter based in the US starts on about $61K + 15.5% of that ammount provided by the company as provident fund which you can choose to take as cash or you can choose to join the provident fund in HKG. I'm not sure of the exact SO starting salary, but think that its roughly the equivalent of $50K USD (paid in HKG dollars because you'd be HKG based) + prov fund + housing allowance and schooling allowance.

What is the deciding factor on which position they offer you?

Its what you apply for rather than what they offer you. Obviously there are different min. requirements for SO vs FO. The important distinction is that if you apply for the SO position, it is HKG based only. The DE FO on freighter is on a base only.

If you are an SO what is the typical upgrade time to FO?

2-3 years I believe at the moment. There is alot of info re. SO entry under the thread in the wannabees section. Also note that your upgrade to FO after SO will initially be onto either the 777 or A330, HKG based still. So the earliest that you could expect to be able to bid onto a pax base after joining via the SO route would be roughly 4 years min ( eg. 2 years SO, 2 years FO on B777, then transfer onto B744)
That is a rough guide......things change...........

FYI

[ManagedNav]

Thank You FYI and others for your comments....

[rwelch]

Thank you everyone who replied for the great information.
rwelch

[Argh Jay]

Just got a call for an interview in YVR in April...so the HBJ book is out from the trunk in the basement!

Anyone have any input on what the sched or a typical roster is like for a Freighter FO based out of JFK or ORD? As well, heard you don't get passes for 6 months. That will make for an expensive commute! Do they allow passes for just the employee to just the base you hold?

Cheers.

[cpdude]

Yes, you will get passes to commute to work during the first six months.

[Penske]

Actually I can't agree with CP dude about passes in your first 6 months.

We discussed this at length during the group information sessions in Hong Kong at the final interview and it was brought up again on the phone when I was accepting the offer of employment. Cathay wanted to make sure I understood that I would not be eligible for Cathay employee travel or Z-Fare tickets on other airlines until 6 months from my start date.

They told us that the training window is 3 1/2 to 4 months so that meant that you would only be commuting to your new base for 2 to 2 1/2 months without passes.

In my case, I will need to commute YVR-LAX and the advance booking tickets are not too bad at all. HMY is offering $139 CAD each way at the moment, and it has been as cheap as $99 each way.

The FOs who started in March were offered ANC, LAX. ORD or NY for basing, while the FOs who are starting in April, May and June were only offered LAX or ANC.

[apollon]

Did they offer any bases in Europe as well, for F/O's?

[dhoonk]

With regard to passes...

Like Penske sayz, new joiners no longer enjoy industry discount passes with other carriers until you have been with CX for six months. New joiners who started before the end of 2003 did.

However, you will still get CX passes to get to and from work within the first six months. However, in most cases, this will not help you if you are in North America.

[Argh Jay]

Interesting about basings. Heard they didn't have ORD or JFK recently.

I know you can't go to HKG for 3 years, but are you allowed to move from, say, ANC or LAX to ORD or JFK if there is an opening? It would make for a much easier commute. Although, I COULD ride CX from YYZ to ANC; it would just be a little more tiring.

Thanks again!

RJ

[Penske]

I believe you are able to transfer between bases on the freighter without too much trouble.

They did tell us though, that you cannot commute on the freighter in a fashion you are describing above. Obviously, CX freighters are in and out of Anchorage all the time, but I don't believe you can travel on them. The exception to this is if you stay on the aircraft as an extra crew member at the end of your cycle.

The whole issue of basing is one of those things that everyone thinks about, but is one that you have to put aside while you work your tail off to get the job.

As a side note, my friend lives in ANC but was told during his interview that ANC would not be available. When it came time for his congratsyougotthejobwhatbasewouldyoulike phone call, he got ANC!

[Runner26]

Any Canadians able to answer this? If you get the DE FO position, are you legally able to live in your US base, say LAX? What about your wife and kids?

Thanks.

[Penske]

We Canadians are not able to live in the US without a green card. Cathay does not get involved in assisting you with getting a green card.

As I understand it, commuting is not a problem as you are crossing the border from Canada to the US to go to work for a Hong Kong Based company, but the fact remains that you cannot move to, and live in your assigned base.

If anyone else has anything to add on this subject, I would certainly like to hear it.

[Runner26]

Thanks Penske,

There are exceptions; I have a friend working for a Canadian owned computer company with a branch office in the States that he works out of. He is allowed to live in the States under some special visa that the company sponsors. I guess Cathay doesn't help in the visa department.

Lots of airlines flying between YVR and LAX so I guess the commute wouldn't be too bad.

Cheers

[HardRock]

I have a friend who did the interview about a month and a half ago, and was offered a job... but not until next year... looks like they are way ahead of the game with the recruiting now.