Cheap housing in Wan Chai for the single pilot in HKG

[jetjockey696]

Swire set to release flats of just 142 square feet for rent | South China Morning Post (http://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/2039864/swire-set-release-flats-just-142-square-feet-rent)

[Setright]

Ideal for all the expats flocking to HKG to fly for Cathay on local terms and the ridiculous housing allowance.

[tsimbeit]

Ideal for all the expats flocking to HKG to fly for Cathay on local terms and the ridiculous housing allowance.


CHEAP HOUSING IN MID-LEVELS

Or three Pilots sharing a 3 bedroom apartment in Mid-levels and living comfortably for the same money.

What's the problem?

[Icarus2001]

142 square feet ?

Just under 12 feet by 12 feet?

Or in the rest of the world...

13.2 square metres

3.6 metres by 3.6 metres

My bed is a queen size so around 34 square feet.

Sounds appealing where do I sign?

No wonder there are no internal photos, could not fit a camera and person in at the same time.

[WingOn]

142 square feet ?

Just under 12 feet by 12 feet?

Or in the rest of the world...

13.2 square metres

3.6 metres by 3.6 metres

My bed is a queen size so around 68 square feet.

Sounds appealing where do I sign?

No wonder there are no internal photos, could not fit a camera and person in at the same time.
My bed is a queen size so around 68 square feet.

Damn you have a big bed.

[Shutterbug]

Work in a cockpit sleep in a cockpit. I'm luvin it. :ok:

[Dan Winterland]

There is an alternative. Use shipping containers for temporary housing, Hong Kong social welfare group urges | South China Morning Post (http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2039832/use-shipping-containers-temporary-housing-hong-kong-social)

[nairda68]

I think there will be hourly rates as well.....considering the geographic location , the one bedroom/one bathroom arrangement and the entity behind it (Swire)....

[boxjockey]

Same size as a prison cell?

box

[Flex88]

Better yet and already set up for occupants.

I think there are still some "under-utilized" Vietnamese Refugee camps on some of the islands. Just need a quick dust off, stock up on MRE's and voila. :ok:

The little missus might not be so keen however it's only a matter of time before most of us get deported anyway.....:hmm:

[Icarus2001]

Damn you have a big bed.

With those maths I do! Try again...

http://blog.sewmucheasier.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/standard-australian-bed-size-chart-600x600.jpg

http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2014/02/15/1226828/174745-1374563c-9381-11e3-8d43-e004d36a6c9a.jpg

[Flex88]

If only we could get the landlord to remove those bars on the window. :O

[Basil]

Wan Chai? I thought the OP was joking!
You could probably recover your rent with short term lets whilst off on trips :E

[jetjockey696]

Flex88 the bars are there to keep out the burglars and child proof the room, preventing your precious ones (kids) from falling out of the window.. :E

Dan Buster... you forgot the metal/black BIG Rimowa flight case. to store the Ubber sunglasses.

[crwkunt roll]

I can imagine the Tinder-dwelling juniors' conversation after a positive Tinder swipe....... "So can we go back to your place?"

[clear.right]

CHEAP HOUSING IN MID-LEVELS

Or three Pilots sharing a 3 bedroom apartment in Mid-levels and living comfortably for the same money.

What's the problem?
What, are you 18, and this is first year of Uni?

Oh wait...

FFS, adults, who are professionals, must be able to afford their own living space.

[Arfur Dent]

I wonder if Mark H would like to spend a night in one of these prison cells? Where have we allowed ourselves to descend to. What happens if you want a family?

[Trafalgar]

....the really amusing (and ultimately very sad) fact is that the approximate monthly rent on one of these is MORE than the HKPA. So a Swire entity is admitting through their own market pricing that a pilot in CX isn't even worth 142 sq ft of living space. Where have we descended to indeed....? :ooh:

[Captain Dart]

Why should Swire care? They are still joining in droves.

[tsimbeit]

They are joining in droves, it's a young man/woman's gig nowadays, times have changed.

Share an apartment in Mid-levels and enjoy life!

[tsimbeit]

The problem is those young men and women age like the rest of us and living with 3 other dudes in your 30's or 40's can't be that 'enjoyable'.

The times haven't really changed, young people have always joined airlines, but they joined on salaries where they could live on their own and raise families.
What has changed is the crappy, 'living with other people' lifestyle young folks are willing to accept just to sit in a shiny jet.

'Living with other people' lifestyle in Mid-levels was very good and extremely enjoyable for many very senior captains already 20 and 30 years ago!

[Basil]

I wonder if Mark H would like to spend a night in one of these prison cells? Where have we allowed ourselves to descend to. What happens if you want a family?
Resign!

People don't go into aviation because they follow the Bernie Cornfeld "Do you sincerely want to be rich?" path; like doctors, engineers, physicists et al, they do it because it amuses them.
Our employers, as professional businessmen, are aware of this but must be made aware that such dedication comes at a price.

It costs to give a pilot a type rating, especially in the CX system.

I am not anti Cathay. I thought they were a good employer. Training a bit peculiar* to themselves cf RAF and UK airlines but it seems to work.
They looked after me when I was off long term following a road traffic accident so can't complain.

* Well, very unusual.

[Captain Dart]

Of course MH wouldn't like to 'spend a night in one of these prison cells'. He's contemplating his bonus in his superior accommodation as 'shiny jetters' accept the cheap conditions on offer and his underlings fall over themselves to train them.

[ACMS]

Blimey, an injection of realism.

Can't have that in here....

[McNugget]

Blimey, an injection of realism.

Can't have that in here....

It'll never catch on...

[jetjockey696]

For the skygods. who dosent want to share, live cheap in HKG island western area..under 10k per month view of the city..only 1hr on the bus to airport.

https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/10/25/20sq-foot-space-capsule-pods-available-to-rent-in-sai-ying-pun-at-hk5100-per-month/

??????120????????????????-????????-??591??? (http://rent.591.com.hk/rent-detail-595779.html?r=1)

[Arfur Dent]

In BA the Captain of a shiny jet lives in a nice house (which he owns) with his wife and 2.4 children. He goes to work in a 2 or 3 year old BMW (which he owns) and enjoys decent rostering, a good salary and is well protected by his Union and the Law of the Land.
The First Officer is pretty much the same but lives in a slightly smaller house and drives to work in a 4 or 5 year old BMW - both of which he owns or aspires to own.
Before the age of 30 they may have done many different flying jobs ranging from air taxis to military FJs. They may have shared houses but will always have owned a car since passing their driving test at 17/18.
You see where I'm going with this……………yet still they come to Cathay and very few leave. Amazing really.

[el commandante]

And what does that tell you Arfur?

[Arfur Dent]

Tells me that early days at CX are regarded well by 'the market'. Pre 30 year old pilots will enjoy life sharing accommodation and having fun in the city without the necessity of owning a car.
What troubles me is what happens then? There will be no prospect of ever owning a house or car if you get married and have kids. Sharing would be an interesting prospect!
So it is an "elephant in the room" situation that ticks away as the young cadets grow up. Will they stay or go? Is Cathay a feeder for other airlines or will pilots just stay and get on with it?
Not quite the Cathay of old but the accountants know that.
I guess only time will tell.

[el commandante]

Yes, because CX is a bloody good deal for the youngsters. But as you say, its a ticking time bomb. I personally also wonder if those guys hang around much longer once they realised that they are stacked in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

[Arfur Dent]

We agree. Time will tell………….

[el commandante]

Yes, they talk about it. Most of them stay.

[TurningFinalRWY36]

what you fail to realise is that the first cadets to be played upon hkpa and now coming to the point where they have gained a couple thousand hours wide body time.only now are the majority slowly coming in to a position to leave. next few years should be interesting

[el commandante]

Fair enough. Point taken

[tsimbeit]

Fair enough. Point taken

Que sera,sera..... live for today!

Share an apartment in Mid-levels and enjoy Hong Kong, everything is history one day.....

[SeldomFixit]

The salient point here is "when Air China assume majority ownership". If you don't see this as fact, you are on another planet. Conditions as you've known them, regardless of scale or rank, will never be the same again.

[Pogie]

Awesome looking bathroom! I just picture two S/Os trying to get ready at the same time to go to work. One is brushing his teeth and getting his leg splattered on by his roommate taking a leak next to him.

[tsimbeit]

It's time to give up on the hope that others will leave to improve your package: Others are not leaving for the same reasons you are not. Even if 1000 left, there are still 1000's more lining up to take an even worse deal.

23 years ago, the company was told: "Nobody wil be so stupid to join on a B scale package as we approach the 1997 handover to China, you have to improve the A-scale if you want to attract pilots to Hong kong from now on".

Did most B-scalers leave?

Guys/girls share accomodation, Mid-levels is good and make Hong kong a great experience!

[Busdude]

Tsimbelt. I don't think you were here in those heady days of the early B Scale. I was, and I can tell you that pilots left in droves within the first year or so. I personally know several who rejoined their countries' militaries, a few who left to Air Canada and many who left to British Airways and Virgin. Technically you may be right with the word "most", but don't underestimate the "many" that left. When COS '94 was introduced, the A Scalers were given a sign or be fired 25% pay cut, and the B Scalers were given a 25% pay rise.
Most of the guys who were hired in those days were 30 plus year old men with masses of previous heavy or fast jet time, generally with families. The younger men and women only started joining a few years later. Now we're getting kids as young as 18. The present conditions offered by the company are well suited to them, but not to anyone with family. But yet, they still come and then complain about the conditions under which they joined.

[Foxdeux]

If the cadets gain a few thousand hours of flying time and move to another airline, won't they start from the bottom of the seniority list? Wouldn't this just be another delay to the LHS?

[Arfur Dent]

At normal, real Airlines they can even have houses and cars and children (and free Schools for them). They can swing a cat in those houses too - or even a dog! And maybe - God forbid - have a garden (yard if you're from Oz).

[DropKnee]

And all the fresh air your little lungs can take in.

[joblow]

Fresh air what the hell is that ?