Cathay management assist pilots` claim.

[Kaptin M]

It has become apparent that CX management has unwittingly been lured into assisting their pilots` claims for salary increases with the latest release of Cathay`s interim results. A profit of $169 million dollars - down by some 39% - was announced.

The reason for the drop in profits, acoording to Stanley Morgan`s Wendy Wong (on BBC) was "the go-slow by the Cathay pilots". For "go-slow" read "work according to the company`s prescribed Operation Manuals!

CX management have succeeded in placing a dollar value on the goodwill that the pilots had previously given - foc - to the company, in return for fair and equitable treatment. That dollar value, based on Cathay`s OWN statement is $112 million, and the dispute commenced only on July 3, so does not cover the full period of the report.

Thank you Mr Tyler and co! Congratulations HKAOA for a clever campaign!

[spannersatcx]

I thought the interim results were for the first 6 months, and as the dispute started after that, the action by the pilots has had no bearing on these at all.

[Kaptin M]

This from BBC's website:

A work-to-rule by pilots which led to hundreds of flights being cancelled in July has cost $350m, the airline said. The impact on Cathay's accounts will not be seen until the end of the year.

You are probably correct there, Spannersatcx, it appears that the current results are up until June 30, and that I have UNDERcalculated the cost of the pilots' previous goodwill by some 70%.

[bonajet]

It amazes me how much you know about CX Kaptin M; however you do mix currency units in your posts. The cost has been estimated at 350m HK$ or 45 million US$.

[Kaptin M]

Here's the link to the BBC article, bj: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/business/newsid_1480000/1480086.stm

Where the currency under discussion is Hong Kong dollars, it is prefixed by "HK".

[bonajet]

During the presentation of the half yearly results, every other figure referred to was in Hong Kong dollars. It would be strange Kaptin M if the figure of 350m mentioned was in US$ (maybe it was pounds sterling??). Your confusion has been caused by the BBC website not prefacing the figure with a HK$ sign.

[Drop and Stop]

From the SCMP:

Cathay reinstates pilot but maintains hardline stance

Cathay Pacific yesterday agreed to reinstate one of 52 pilots it sacked during the industrial dispute but warned the move should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness.
The pilot was one of only two allowed to appeal because he was sacked for a specific offence rather than having his contract terminated like the other 50.


Cathay's director of corporate development, Tony Tyler, said there was "no prospect" of reinstatement for the remaining 50 pilots. The appeal process of the other pilot was continuing, he said.

Mr Tyler said the pilot, a union member, had persuaded management that his failure to report for duty for a flight leaving the US for Hong Kong was a genuine mistake rather than a deliberate attempt to disrupt the operation. The captain had misread instructions changing his roster, Mr Tyler said. But the mistake was serious and the punishment of dismissal had been replaced with demotion from captain to first officer.

"It would be a mistake for anyone to interpret this decision as a sign of any weakening in the company's position," Mr Tyler said.

The Aircrew Officers' Association has vowed not to make peace with management until sacked pilots get their jobs back.

Meanwhile, Cathay said the pilots' action was still affecting flights yesterday, despite claiming on Wednesday that the dispute was "effectively over" - a comment the Aircrew Officers' Association fiercely rejected.

The pilots' August rostering newsletter lists 26 cancelled passenger flights a week, more than double the number cancelled in May and nine times as many as in June. The limited industrial action started last month.

Some routes suspended because of the industrial action had not yet been resumed, partly for financial reasons, a Cathay spokeswoman said.

But asked if the industrial action was also still a factor in the cancellations, she replied: "I would say yes, half and half."

The Cathay spokeswoman said flights to Karachi would resume on Tuesday but those to Colombo were still suspended indefinitely. Cathay was using British Airways flights to service Manchester, she said, adding that overall, Cathay was flying eight per cent more flights this summer than last.

Some flights to Vancouver, Paris, Amsterdam, Bangkok and Dubai are also cancelled.

[St_Paul_Island]

Quote from CX mouthpiece Tony Tyler:

Mr Tyler said ... "The officer concerned had a right of appeal under his conditions of service, and on hearing that appeal, his manager was persuaded that his act was not deliberate or intended to cause disruption to our services.'' Mr Tyler said that while the reinstatement was an improvement over being fired, the sanction was severe, but reasonable for a "very serious breach of conduct''.

So, for mis-reading a roster, accepted as "...not deliberate or intended to cause disruption to our services..." the punishment was two years loss of seniority and loss of command! That's right, back to F/O.

Cathay Pacific. The Heart of Asia.

[Kaptin M]

I'd say that's fair, SPI...obviously a management that has that degree of difficulty understanding a mis-reading of the roster will have NO problems understanding the need of a crew to enter the hold with each change of ATIS during an impending approach!

CX is indeed blessed to have such a "committed" group of directors, who are willing to send the company down the tube to prove that THEIR WAY is the ONLY WAY...come Hell or highwater!

[GlueBall]

"CX reinstates sacked pilot..."
according to Reuters News.web page (http://www.racs.com/racs/free/frames/topstories1.html) :cool:

[shocka]

I once knew a fleet manager who "miss read " his roster & didn't turn up for duty. When I saw him next I asked how he was going to "counsel" himself.

He replied: I ordered "tea & bikkies" for one & gave myself a good talking to.

[raitfaiter]

that wouldn't be the same very very senior manager who had difficulty with remembering about gear pins quite recently would it? :D