CX Direct Entry FO

[bringbackthe80s]

Hi all

please for the SO don't take this as an insult or way to jump the queue. I would just like to have an opinion from the insiders.

For personal reasons and of course as a career opportunity Cathay would make a lot of sense. I would only join as a Direct FO though (I am a 320 capt.) and on the pax fleet. Is this something possible in the future/has it happened in the past?

And even disregarding the above, would it be a good opportunity, is it still worth changing airline/country/salary/seat for CX you reckon ?

Thanks

[629bus]

Let me just grab the pop corn...

[Captain Dart]

I'll bite, with the disclaimer that he may be a troll, or management testing the waters. Here goes:

There is plenty of information (and invective) on the Fragrant Harbour 'Wannabes' forum. A session with Mr Google on housing and general living costs in Hong Kong will also be useful.

Under present conditions, you will never see a command or a basing unless you join the company as a fetus.

If the degradation in Second Officer conditions is anything to go by, with this lot any new DEFO package would also be a 'shocker'. I have been told that one ex-regional turboprop new joiner S/O has already gone back to his previous job, and others have also dropped out due to inadequate salary, sub standard housing assistance in a very expensive city, and disillusionment. Once a global leader in conditions, crew experience and engagement, this airline is now just one step up from a 'low cost' outfit as far as the foregoing is concerned.

One thing I will say is, that with my experience of some iCadet Second Officers I have had dealings with, DEFO may soon have to be resurrected, because unless standards are significantly dropped, CX may have no other option in order to put experienced bottoms on seats.

In the internet age there is no excuse for not knowing what you are getting into, if your bull**** filter is serviceable. Good luck anyway.

[bringbackthe80s]

Yes I looked through the wannabe forum, and to be honest the invective far exceeds the information (as often happens on here sadly). This is why I was genuinely looking for fair and fresh info so that I can have a good idea of what the reality is (with the bs filter on).
Not a big deal, a guy who lives on the other side of the world tries to see what his inside colleagues think about a company/package as well as getting information himself from the standard sources. After all this is what this forum should be about...and this is how I always tried to use it.

Good info Captain Dart, thank you.

All the best

[Pogie]

I would only join as a Direct FO though (I am a 320 capt.) and on the pax fleet.I guess you won't be joining CX then. There is no "Pax Fleet" anymore. You fly whatever your fleet flies, whether it's pax or freighters.

I love the little throw in about you being a 320 captain. Good for you! Your mother must be proud. But if you want to join a real airline, that doesn't mean anything (especially being a light twin.) You join at the bottom like everyone else. Of course, you don't have to join a real airline (I'm not referring specifically to CX -- there are dozens out there) -- you can always just jump from one crap start-up airline to another. You'll probably even get to keep your beloved Baby-Jet, 4-Bar thing if you do, so you won't bruise your delicate ego. But you'll realize soon that the company is crap to work for, it's not what you'd thought it would be, and you'll probably start sending out resumes again so you're not stuck without a job when the bankruptcy announcement comes.

Best of luck to you, Captain!

[Will IB Fayed]

I suspect DEFO may happen one day again soon, but on reduced conditions. As others have said, SO is the only way in at the moment, and as a package? Well it's good for a 20yr old living on beer and rice, so get a rating, but if you're packing a family, I'd say forget it.

PS - despite some of the responses in this forum, not everyone in CX is a rude moron.

[Frogman1484]

Look at EK. Cx not worth it anymore:=

[joe56]

I know of a few SOs who meet the old DEFO requirements. Surely if CX were to start a DEFO program they would have to upgrade those SOs first. Are there any SO upgrades scheduled?

[bringbackthe80s]

I guess you won't be joining CX then. There is no "Pax Fleet" anymore. You fly whatever your fleet flies, whether it's pax or freighters.

I love the little throw in about you being a 320 captain. Good for you! Your mother must be proud. But if you want to join a real airline, that doesn't mean anything (especially being a light twin.) You join at the bottom like everyone else. Of course, you don't have to join a real airline (I'm not referring specifically to CX -- there are dozens out there) -- you can always just jump from one crap start-up airline to another. You'll probably even get to keep your beloved Baby-Jet, 4-Bar thing if you do, so you won't bruise your delicate ego. But you'll realize soon that the company is crap to work for, it's not what you'd thought it would be, and you'll probably start sending out resumes again so you're not stuck without a job when the bankruptcy announcement comes.

Best of luck to you, Captain!

these are our colleagues, amazing:ugh: