DEFO Interview
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: World's biggest Bunker
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The biggest thing with CX is the "IF's" you might be able to make it work IF the flying increases as they try to get the flying schedule back to 2019 levels IF they don't change the min hours which determines how much $$$ you make IF they don't decide to change anything else which is ALL at their discretion as its policy not a CBA.
You are obviously an FO at with WS or AC, there have been lots of Canadian pilots at CX going in the exact opposite direction to what you are looking at, Captain and FO's (myself included). However apply go have a look at HK and make your own mind up, just remember at WS or AC you have a Union with a CBA written in stone that if gets messed with you file a grievance with an arbitrator in HK you have none of that its all at the company's whim, so what you sign up for you may lose a month later.
And if you think Canada is expensive go have a walk around a HK grocery store and look for the stuff your kids eat.
Good luck to you.
You are obviously an FO at with WS or AC, there have been lots of Canadian pilots at CX going in the exact opposite direction to what you are looking at, Captain and FO's (myself included). However apply go have a look at HK and make your own mind up, just remember at WS or AC you have a Union with a CBA written in stone that if gets messed with you file a grievance with an arbitrator in HK you have none of that its all at the company's whim, so what you sign up for you may lose a month later.
And if you think Canada is expensive go have a walk around a HK grocery store and look for the stuff your kids eat.
Good luck to you.
Join Date: Apr 2004
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I never stated it’s a get rich quick. I know how investing works. But when the funds available in the provident fund are junk. My timeline was, 10 years in provident fund from CX will give you about $100K-$150 HKD per year, so that’s about at best $1.5M, that’s without investing, let’s assume an 80% return over the 10 years, that leaves you shy of $3 mill. Like I said, at best 2 years living in Hong Kong. Maybe 3 years
Also the property I stated is enough of a decent size (by Hong Kong standards), in the cheapest complex in the cheapest suburb
Also the property I stated is enough of a decent size (by Hong Kong standards), in the cheapest complex in the cheapest suburb
DDDO got it right, the problem is the uncertainty. Tough call to move without knowing what to expect financially.
Join Date: Sep 2007
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There are plenty of returning captains to cx who previously left for whatever reason .
What’s their motivation if its so bad, and the salary is so poor?
I hear the current cx overtime can push up the monthly salary of senior captains to over $250hk per month? Ok , you work for it , just saying it’s achievable.
Don't just base your life on the basic salary. Its a package, and overtime forms a large part (sometimes. !)
What’s their motivation if its so bad, and the salary is so poor?
I hear the current cx overtime can push up the monthly salary of senior captains to over $250hk per month? Ok , you work for it , just saying it’s achievable.
Don't just base your life on the basic salary. Its a package, and overtime forms a large part (sometimes. !)
Join Date: Apr 2019
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There are plenty of returning captains to cx who previously left for whatever reason .
What’s their motivation if its so bad, and the salary is so poor?
I hear the current cx overtime can push up the monthly salary of senior captains to over $250hk per month? Ok , you work for it , just saying it’s achievable.
Don't just base your life on the basic salary. Its a package, and overtime forms a large part (sometimes. !)
What’s their motivation if its so bad, and the salary is so poor?
I hear the current cx overtime can push up the monthly salary of senior captains to over $250hk per month? Ok , you work for it , just saying it’s achievable.
Don't just base your life on the basic salary. Its a package, and overtime forms a large part (sometimes. !)
I don't have the very latest Mercer cost of living index in front of me but they specialise in telling companies how much tp pay someone living in one country when they move them to another as an expat. And they charge a lot for it.
Last time I looked at the 2019 Index, based on a couple with two kids, Hong Kong was 1.61 times as expensive as Vancouver or Toronto to live. I'm not talking moving from Richmond or Burlington to eat cup noodles in 700 sq ft sh*thole on Cheung Sha Island, I'm talking having the same equivalent lifestyle. The cost of living in Hong Kong is far greater than the tax difference between Canada and Hong Kong or Australia and Hong Kong. Guys just see the Net salary, and have no idea at all about the actual cost of living.
Having said that, it amazes me how many out there are riding the bus everywhere, feeding their family the cup noodles, missing out on extended family and friends back home, and telling themselves the place and package is still the greatest. The delusion is remarkable. They can't bear the thought that they signed up for CX all those years ago, the package has drastically changed, and they've stuck their head in the sand as the solution. And seniority lists make the decision absolute, you can't slot into a 330 CN job at QF or a 787 CN job at AC and all your mates who decided to stay at their legacy carriers rather than take that CX job offer have in hindsight, in 2023, made the better decision.
Every time I'm in an aircrew immigration queue anywhere, every other airline pities us, offers condolences and feels sorry for us for what our package has become.
Correct - yet to see a captain with a couple kids in high school returning to HKG
The only ones who are coming back are “empty nesters” happy to live in a shoebox reminiscing about the great expat life of HKG
Some even went back to the place they lived at as Second Officers - what does that tell you?!
Last edited by AQIS Boigu; 5th Oct 2023 at 00:38.
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Correct - yet to see a captain with a couple kids in high school returning to HKG
The only ones who are coming back are “empty nesters” happy to live in a shoebox reminiscing about the great expat life of HKG
Some even went back to the place they lived at as Second Officers - what does that tell you?!
The only ones who are coming back are “empty nesters” happy to live in a shoebox reminiscing about the great expat life of HKG
Some even went back to the place they lived at as Second Officers - what does that tell you?!
Join Date: Jul 2022
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The overtime in certain fleets is just temporary, that is exactly what the company doesn’t want.
When they will get the numbers back to normal it will flatten out.
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And that was as a relatively junior Captain…..
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The biggest thing with CX is the "IF's" you might be able to make it work IF the flying increases as they try to get the flying schedule back to 2019 levels IF they don't change the min hours which determines how much $$$ you make IF they don't decide to change anything else which is ALL at their discretion as its policy not a CBA.
You are obviously an FO at with WS or AC, there have been lots of Canadian pilots at CX going in the exact opposite direction to what you are looking at, Captain and FO's (myself included). However apply go have a look at HK and make your own mind up, just remember at WS or AC you have a Union with a CBA written in stone that if gets messed with you file a grievance with an arbitrator in HK you have none of that its all at the company's whim, so what you sign up for you may lose a month later.
And if you think Canada is expensive go have a walk around a HK grocery store and look for the stuff your kids eat.
Good luck to you.
You are obviously an FO at with WS or AC, there have been lots of Canadian pilots at CX going in the exact opposite direction to what you are looking at, Captain and FO's (myself included). However apply go have a look at HK and make your own mind up, just remember at WS or AC you have a Union with a CBA written in stone that if gets messed with you file a grievance with an arbitrator in HK you have none of that its all at the company's whim, so what you sign up for you may lose a month later.
And if you think Canada is expensive go have a walk around a HK grocery store and look for the stuff your kids eat.
Good luck to you.
Join Date: Jun 2022
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Last edited by Babyjet_dododo; 7th Oct 2023 at 07:20.
short flights long nights
There are plenty of returning captains to cx who previously left for whatever reason .
What’s their motivation if its so bad, and the salary is so poor?
I hear the current cx overtime can push up the monthly salary of senior captains to over $250hk per month? Ok , you work for it , just saying it’s achievable.
Don't just base your life on the basic salary. Its a package, and overtime forms a large part (sometimes. !)
What’s their motivation if its so bad, and the salary is so poor?
I hear the current cx overtime can push up the monthly salary of senior captains to over $250hk per month? Ok , you work for it , just saying it’s achievable.
Don't just base your life on the basic salary. Its a package, and overtime forms a large part (sometimes. !)
Join Date: Oct 2023
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Basic salary as a relatively junior captain was 130k on the old COS. Housing was anywhere from 45-100k depending on fixed/variable or mortgage/rental. So it's disingenuous to say you made more than 250k
Join Date: Jul 2018
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Interview is very straight forward. No tricks.
Simulator is where they get you. Only about 20% pass rate currently. They really focus on manual flying the 777 no matter what rating you have.
Medical is tougher than the standard government requirements. Anything that comes up they will ask you for reports or refer you to a specialist.
Simulator is where they get you. Only about 20% pass rate currently. They really focus on manual flying the 777 no matter what rating you have.
Medical is tougher than the standard government requirements. Anything that comes up they will ask you for reports or refer you to a specialist.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Yeah… nah, not really. A middle-seniority CN was on 150K, plus 15% Provident Fund, plus rental ceiling over 100k, not to mention way better schooling. Insurance was better as well, and included family. Definitely overall package was well over 250K.
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