From Canada to Cathay. Looking for advice

[150 Captain]

Currently a regional Canadian FO. I have an interview with Cathay
I知 looking for any tips or advice for the interview
or information about working at Cathay. Or any thing regarding living somewhere so different.
Thanks !

[Pilot DAR]

A sharp young copilot I knew went for an interview with Cathay, and told us all about it when he returned (he did get the job, and presume is still there). I recall him telling me that they put him in a sim with a training captain, to take him for a flight. He said that the training captain was making errors, which he commented on, as opposed to letting them pass. Apparently, that was the correct thing for him to do, as they were testing his powers of observation, and assertiveness, beyond just piloting skills.

As for Hong Kong, I've been many times, and really liked it. But, I'm not sure it's the same place now, with the evolution of Chinese influence. I would certainly do your homework about living there, if that is your plan. It's about as opposite to rural Canada as could be!

[Newhairdo]

Originally Posted by 150 Captain

Currently a regional Canadian FO. I have an interview with Cathay
I知 looking for any tips or advice for the interview
or information about working at Cathay. Or any thing regarding living somewhere so different.
Thanks !

I would think long and hard about this.
Read these forums. Sure, some are (understandably) angry or bitter at how CX have treated them, but there is an underlying truth.
Canada isn稚 such a bad place. Don稚 be in a hurry to go to Hong Kong

[blorgwinder]

Originally Posted by 150 Captain

Currently a regional Canadian FO. I have an interview with Cathay
I知 looking for any tips or advice for the interview
or information about working at Cathay. Or any thing regarding living somewhere so different.
Thanks !

Worked in HKG from 96-99 in Aviation but not an airline. First thing speak to an accountant who specializes in tax planning and implications for Canadians working abroad and what you have to do to keep the CRA happy.

Secondly the expat, aka the Western, population in HKG diminish SIGNIFICANTLY after Covid and much of the allure, as in chep markets and fun things are gone.. Stanley Market, a ghost, night markets, only for the locals..They carry very little in Western (L,XL) sizes anymore

[+TSRA]

25 years ago my wifes cousin was hired with Cathay. It was, like mine, his dream job. He loved every second of it - his time in Hong Kong and then when he was senior enough to hold it, an Auckland base. He loved how the company pushed him to be a better pilot. He loved the destinations, the airplane he was on, the money, and the lifestyle. He always seemed flush with cash, and everything from the outside looking in was amazing. Although I wanted to pursue the same road as him, 9/11 had other ideas. After I moved back to Canada to pursue my career, we lost touch, but I would get regular updates through my father-in-law. At first I thought he was exaggerating as it always seemed my wifes cousin was complaining about how bad Cathay was becoming and how much he felt he had made a mistake in his career. But then I would hear similar stories from other pilots who had also been there. Stories such as gaining as little as two pounds on your medical year-over-year and you're put on notice, training captains who would grade you exclusively on their idea of how things should be done rather than the company way, or a small mistake on the line would cost you your job. I would also hear that while flying with other ex-pats was fun and rewarding, flying with the locals was a chore. Not because they were bad pilots, but that they gave the cold shoulder or were outright in their disdain at your employment. I'm sure a lot of it is hyperbole, but where there is smoke, there is fire. Then came the ever decreasing wage scales. One guy I flew said Cathay decreased the wages sufficiently in his time there that it was an A-Scale when he started but now they've made it all the way through the alphabet and they're now on the AA-scale now. He also said that bases are all but done and you'll be Hong Kong forever and, as blorgwinder says above, the city is not what it once was, especially since China has decided to flex its muscles more. You're doing the right thing by asking around, but if you're a regional FO, at least a few of your Captains will have been at Cathay or will have friends, friends-of-friends, or acquaintances who have been at or are there. Ask them if it's kocher to set up a conversation to get the story from the horse's mouth.

In addition to asking about Hong Kong and Cathay, I suggest you seriously consider where you want to be in 20 to 30 years. If the answer is not Hong Kong, then you have to put a plan in place for your return such that you don't lose out in seniority at a Canadian airline. There are so many young pilots who have joined the ranks at Air Canada that the 2 to 3-year upgrades currently enjoyed by their pilots will come to a grinding halt. You could come back to an industry that will not permit you to upgrade here in Canada, at least not for a very long time. Regardless of how much you make overseas, that'll be a bitter pill to swallow after 10 to 12 years in the right seat. Now, if that's not what you want, awesome. But at least have that conversation with yourself, and be honest about why you want to go. There is nothing wrong with chasing tin or livery, but it becomes hollow after a while.

Regardless, best of luck for the interview.