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Cathay? Don't do it!

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Cathay? Don't do it!

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Old 4th Aug 2007, 07:03
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Cathay? Don't do it!

Just wanted to sit down and recite my tale of woe about Cathay Pacific Airways. I joined as so many do, as an SO with considerable experience. I thought I was joining the best airline from a pay and conditions point of view in the world. How wrong can someone be?
Firstly the interview process was arduous. Dragging you loved ones half way around the world to be oggled by some half wit at a "cock"-tail party. That ridiculous finesse course. Joke.
Anyway I could put all that behind me right? I'm in Hong Kong now. Wrong. Our reception was hardly announced. In fact we had to show ourselves around and find our mail box in which we were told "all documentation and information enclosed". I then had a 2 week frenzy wandering around Cathay ****ty aimlessly trying to coax answers from the muppets that sit behind the counters propped up with sticks!
Simulator training was the same underwhelming experience. My sim instructor had all the charisma of sh!t sandwich! Training=appalling.
I also at this stage went to register for my housing allowance. My CoS had listed $XXXXXX dollars per month. I was summararily informed that my housing had been reduced by such and such a month. What? I said. But this is was I signed? Basically I was told to put up or shut up.
Line training was a joke. My first sector was with a training FO whose first words to me were " Am I training you or what?" There after followed 10hours of what I would have to describe as the most boring flying I've ever done. One bad experience right? No, just welcome to Cathay as an SO. Line trips were not much better. Min rest in a crap hotel talking sh!t to some boring f@rt about the union.
JFO training=Joke
Now lets talk lifestyle. Basically there isn't one. Kiss you life goodbye. You belong to Cathay now. Days off spent in that festering sh!t hole called Discovery Bay. Breathing air you can feel slide into your lungs.
Management= Biggest bunch of self appreciative, pretentious no talent ever to don a craveat!! Pompous pr!cks most of them.

So to answer your question. Do I want to leave. Damn right.

This company is a joke. Morale is a foreign word only whispered in the corridors. It is non existent in the company.

Should you join? Only if you cant get a job shovelling sh!t at a slaughter house!

You're going down Cathay. You are a sinking ship.


Save yourselves. Get out.

Like I said. Cathay? Don't. Just don't.
goin-home is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2007, 08:41
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so your basically not a happy little bunny then ???
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Old 4th Aug 2007, 08:52
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Definitely should have stayed where you came from. To join as a S/O at age 42 is just one small rung above crop dusting.
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Old 4th Aug 2007, 13:19
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" is just one small rung above crop dusting. "

hey! crop dusting is great fun!
and demands a certain skill level
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Old 4th Aug 2007, 19:21
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So what are the negative points?
The Kook is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2007, 20:27
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... direct entry left seats to the Catalinas are hard to come by these days... just not like it used to be, eh HotDog?

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Old 4th Aug 2007, 21:34
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goin-home. I have been looking for someone who recently attended the SO training program, and you seem to be a good match. Three questions. What is acceptable attire during training? Do you need short or long sleeve pilot shirts in Adelaide, or does it matter? What is problem (joke) with the training in Adelaide? Thanks for your help, hope you find what you are looking for.
baronflier is offline  
Old 4th Aug 2007, 22:27
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You have got to be kidding right?

You are actually asking me about what shirts to wear?

OH , You'll fit in fine at Cathay... Just want they need, more pilots that can't think for themselves. This is a wind up surely. Good luck mate!!!!
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Old 4th Aug 2007, 23:52
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Yeah right hahaha I remember the
" cocktail- interview " hahhahahah
all a bunch of hypocrxxxxs, o sorry people from hollywood .


Son, you have to be from a special breed to fit in.....

I blame you cos you took the job, with a market like today???

Now an interview is not ONLY for the employer to decide whether the "candidate" fits in or not, THIS is for both parties important. It is very much the case today as it was yesterday. Think of it like a marriage hehe

Anyways leave everyone in peace, more importantly yourself.

good luck
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Old 5th Aug 2007, 00:50
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@baronflyer
Dress code at ADL is a pilot shirt (it doesn't matter what brand/sleeve/pockets), navy pants, and black shoes. You will get a jacket and epaulets when you get there.

They are not strict at ADL, and as long as you wear your uniform shirt to class/sim you can wear anything else you want around the campus. Many people wear jeans and a tee shirt to the mess hall, so don't be afraid to bring casual clothes.

Open your profile for PMs and I can enlighten you why goin-home thinks it's a joke.
SW
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Old 5th Aug 2007, 04:44
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I completley agree.

If people devoloped some sort of a sense of humour and didnt take the people aorund the joint that are so insistent on stroking themselves and their "captain" mates then maybe it would be abit more bearable.

SO flying sucked big fat ones too.....some crusty old RAF pilot trying to tell YOU how to use the HF after he's finished telling you about his phillpino girlfreinds and 3 ex-wifes and his "in-adequate" A scale salary......just take CX for what you can then leave like everyone else will when they finally have had enough.

At least we get lots of time off

Bring on the pay rise

Just my two cents
shapeshifterer is offline  
Old 6th Aug 2007, 06:29
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Goin home----yes you should go home you whinging pom. If you're not prepared to work leave so some one else can take your place and live where they want to.
Try someone like EZ or Ryanair you'll fit right in.
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Old 6th Aug 2007, 10:33
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I'm not really sure why you're still here?

Why don't you leave?
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Old 6th Aug 2007, 11:15
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I would partially agree with 'goin home' that CX has alot of issues, particularly when it comes to certain dept's that need not be mentioned! I have had both very good experiences and very bad ones in my time here. Certainly i would say that standardisation in above (not) mentioned dept. is just about non-existent and i think using the "change my instructor" function of the ERAS is as good as writing your own pink slip! CX still lives on it's past reputation, but news is spreading. There are many more companies now that offer as good and mostly better deals, and to be honest any mates that contact me regarding CX as a career...well, i can't in good conscience recommend the job right now. Things have to improve, otherwise CX will become 'just another airline'.
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Old 6th Aug 2007, 14:28
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goin-home if you dislike it and sulk about it, and put up with it, more fool you. Don't complain, its your choice to be there.
Hypothetically, if you could join another airline considering pay and conditions what would you do? What stands out above the rest... If you can find that answer without working for them good job..
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Old 6th Aug 2007, 15:07
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Just to balance the scales...........for other people considering a job.......go for it.

Everyone I've flown with "in my limited experience here" have been absolutely great. Friendly, informative, never condescending and always willing to go the extra mile to help out. Sounds like you've had a bum wrap.......... although we're neighbours, it's like you're talking about some other planet.

Sure the admin side can be a little frustrating.....but that's Asia

As for lifestyle.........man, I have so much time to be an absolute bum, it's awesome! Make hay while the sun shines.

All about weighing up the pros and cons.
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Old 7th Aug 2007, 00:17
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and plenty of pro's to be found in wanchai !!!!


party on dude!!!!
sizematters is offline  
Old 7th Aug 2007, 03:23
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Bye Bye

I've just handed in my resignation.

Some talk about it some actually act.

There you go Neil...more fool you for staying

Got a job flying a 900EX.

You can take this job and shove it.

What waste of time Cathay was.

Absolute joke.
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Old 7th Aug 2007, 17:13
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Good for you goin-home. You will undoubtably be alot happier for it, and if you want to take any positives then at least your bunk making skills are probably right up there. Seriously though, I reckon blasting around in a 900ex will be a fun job. Lets face it, anyone with window seat experience in a jet is unlikely to enjoy riding the jumpseat for a living. It's not what you would call a step in the right direction. I know there are some exceptions, but if you are from Europe or the U.S. there are masses of jobs out there, alot of which have better pay and conditions than CX as a DEFO.
I think that the whole 'if you don't like it leave' attitude towards people who express dismay in CX has got to stop. Who's gonna fly all these shiney new planes when they start turning up on mass if everybody who is unhappy is told bugger off? How about trying to fix things for a change.

goin-home, good luck mate
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Old 8th Aug 2007, 12:28
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ahh...the cocktail party..

The best part of the whole miserable 2 days if memory serves me correctly. Had a few drinks and left on the next plane out of there.

What it serves ito achieve is a mystery.. someone from the RAF might be able to explain?

I put on my uniform, brush my hair, go to work, fly the plane safely, have a laugh, come home again in one piece. Standing in a room talking to a bunch of strangers who are trying to read my mind whislt drinking beer (where's the bloody cocktail then!!?) has never come into my job description as a pilot.

Where have I been?

Blue Foot
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