DEFO Interview
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Cern
I don’t want to discourage you from taking the job, but I think you might need a bit of a reality check.
Yes, CX is an excellent gateway to get experience in wide body jets but is it really worth the crap they throw at you? If you have been following this forum, I’ll summarise what you should expect for you and your family:
Pay - Enough to Survive but not enough to enjoy life and take holidays. After paying taxes, school fees, groceries, utilities etc…. You will not be saving any money
Taxes - You’ll have to save to pay the IRD approximately 15% of your total income, this includes approx 15% of the school allowance and pilot allowance.
Schooling - Apart from the initial $5,000 per month, per child. If the schooling is more (which is guaranteed) they’ll happily give you another $3300 per month, provided you furnish a receipt and be paid in arrears. Oh, and that is taxed as well. Expect school fees to run you about $12,000 per month.
Accommodation - Welcome to Lantau Island! For what an FO1 can afford, You can live in a cockroach infested 700 sqft apartment (rooms no bigger that a jail cell) with a !!!!ty landlord that doesn’t fix anything and wants you, at the end of your lease to return the apartment in better condition than when you took possession. The silver lining is, you can choose one of 3 location, Discovery Bay, Tung Chung or South Lantau.
Medical - Apart from the abysmal private coverage (very low limits) and the conditions that come with it (I.e no private hospital coverage between 6am-6pm), you will have no option but to attend a public hospital, which, have a habit of mis-diagnosis.
Did you fall and fracture a finger while at an outport on duty? The company will cover your medical costs. But they will deduct the “hypothetical” cost from your already low private medical coverage in HK. Yes they will use your medical in HK to recoup some of their expenses.
Yes, CX is an excellent gateway to get experience in wide body jets but is it really worth the crap they throw at you? If you have been following this forum, I’ll summarise what you should expect for you and your family:
Pay - Enough to Survive but not enough to enjoy life and take holidays. After paying taxes, school fees, groceries, utilities etc…. You will not be saving any money
Taxes - You’ll have to save to pay the IRD approximately 15% of your total income, this includes approx 15% of the school allowance and pilot allowance.
Schooling - Apart from the initial $5,000 per month, per child. If the schooling is more (which is guaranteed) they’ll happily give you another $3300 per month, provided you furnish a receipt and be paid in arrears. Oh, and that is taxed as well. Expect school fees to run you about $12,000 per month.
Accommodation - Welcome to Lantau Island! For what an FO1 can afford, You can live in a cockroach infested 700 sqft apartment (rooms no bigger that a jail cell) with a !!!!ty landlord that doesn’t fix anything and wants you, at the end of your lease to return the apartment in better condition than when you took possession. The silver lining is, you can choose one of 3 location, Discovery Bay, Tung Chung or South Lantau.
Medical - Apart from the abysmal private coverage (very low limits) and the conditions that come with it (I.e no private hospital coverage between 6am-6pm), you will have no option but to attend a public hospital, which, have a habit of mis-diagnosis.
Did you fall and fracture a finger while at an outport on duty? The company will cover your medical costs. But they will deduct the “hypothetical” cost from your already low private medical coverage in HK. Yes they will use your medical in HK to recoup some of their expenses.
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: London
I don’t want to discourage you from taking the job, but I think you might need a bit of a reality check.
Yes, CX is an excellent gateway to get experience in wide body jets but is it really worth the crap they throw at you? If you have been following this forum, I’ll summarise what you should expect for you and your family:
Pay - Enough to Survive but not enough to enjoy life and take holidays. After paying taxes, school fees, groceries, utilities etc…. You will not be saving any money
Taxes - You’ll have to save to pay the IRD approximately 15% of your total income, this includes approx 15% of the school allowance and pilot allowance.
Schooling - Apart from the initial $5,000 per month, per child. If the schooling is more (which is guaranteed) they’ll happily give you another $3300 per month, provided you furnish a receipt and be paid in arrears. Oh, and that is taxed as well. Expect school fees to run you about $12,000 per month.
Accommodation - Welcome to Lantau Island! For what an FO1 can afford, You can live in a cockroach infested 700 sqft apartment (rooms no bigger that a jail cell) with a !!!!ty landlord that doesn’t fix anything and wants you, at the end of your lease to return the apartment in better condition than when you took possession. The silver lining is, you can choose one of 3 location, Discovery Bay, Tung Chung or South Lantau.
Medical - Apart from the abysmal private coverage (very low limits) and the conditions that come with it (I.e no private hospital coverage between 6am-6pm), you will have no option but to attend a public hospital, which, have a habit of mis-diagnosis.
Did you fall and fracture a finger while at an outport on duty? The company will cover your medical costs. But they will deduct the “hypothetical” cost from your already low private medical coverage in HK. Yes they will use your medical in HK to recoup some of their expenses.
Yes, CX is an excellent gateway to get experience in wide body jets but is it really worth the crap they throw at you? If you have been following this forum, I’ll summarise what you should expect for you and your family:
Pay - Enough to Survive but not enough to enjoy life and take holidays. After paying taxes, school fees, groceries, utilities etc…. You will not be saving any money
Taxes - You’ll have to save to pay the IRD approximately 15% of your total income, this includes approx 15% of the school allowance and pilot allowance.
Schooling - Apart from the initial $5,000 per month, per child. If the schooling is more (which is guaranteed) they’ll happily give you another $3300 per month, provided you furnish a receipt and be paid in arrears. Oh, and that is taxed as well. Expect school fees to run you about $12,000 per month.
Accommodation - Welcome to Lantau Island! For what an FO1 can afford, You can live in a cockroach infested 700 sqft apartment (rooms no bigger that a jail cell) with a !!!!ty landlord that doesn’t fix anything and wants you, at the end of your lease to return the apartment in better condition than when you took possession. The silver lining is, you can choose one of 3 location, Discovery Bay, Tung Chung or South Lantau.
Medical - Apart from the abysmal private coverage (very low limits) and the conditions that come with it (I.e no private hospital coverage between 6am-6pm), you will have no option but to attend a public hospital, which, have a habit of mis-diagnosis.
Did you fall and fracture a finger while at an outport on duty? The company will cover your medical costs. But they will deduct the “hypothetical” cost from your already low private medical coverage in HK. Yes they will use your medical in HK to recoup some of their expenses.
this is accurate. The terms have eroded so far from what they were that you have to be desperate to take this job. Once the novelty wears off of working for what once was an amazing legacy airline … reality sets in and bites hard. COS18 is a single persons contract … if you plan coming with a family ( or a wife that doesn’t work) , you’ll find it very hard to manage. The SO’s are the worst off … been sitting around 6 years with nowhere else to go.. and pushed back further with desperate DEFO’s joining.
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 25
Likes: 1
From: Horley
I get the frustration and annoyance that the salary got drastically reduced,
but :
- where are you guys coming from complaining about paying taxes ? And 15% is relatively low worldwide
- Where are you going on holidays ? 5 stars palace in Bali ?
- How old are you to have your partner idling at home ? In 2023 it’s kinda normal that both have steady job
- You can’t complain about paying tax and getting a limited medical coverage otherwise France is the exemple to follow with 40% tax rate
but :
- where are you guys coming from complaining about paying taxes ? And 15% is relatively low worldwide
- Where are you going on holidays ? 5 stars palace in Bali ?
- How old are you to have your partner idling at home ? In 2023 it’s kinda normal that both have steady job
- You can’t complain about paying tax and getting a limited medical coverage otherwise France is the exemple to follow with 40% tax rate
Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 1,374
Likes: 285
From: Moved beyond
Bear in mind that you'll have to pay double that for the first year, because you will be charged tax on the amount you have earned, plus the same again in provisional tax for the following year. And there's no PAYG tax, so you need to put some aside each month to pay for the tax bill when it eventually arrives. If you don't have enough to pay the bill, you'll need to arrange a tax loan from one of the banks.
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: HKG
Bear in mind that you'll have to pay double that for the first year, because you will be charged tax on the amount you have earned, plus the same again in provisional tax for the following year. And there's no PAYG tax, so you need to put some aside each month to pay for the tax bill when it eventually arrives. If you don't have enough to pay the bill, you'll need to arrange a tax loan from one of the banks.
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Cern
I get the frustration and annoyance that the salary got drastically reduced,
but :
- where are you guys coming from complaining about paying taxes ? And 15% is relatively low worldwide
- Where are you going on holidays ? 5 stars palace in Bali ?
- How old are you to have your partner idling at home ? In 2023 it’s kinda normal that both have steady job
- You can’t complain about paying tax and getting a limited medical coverage otherwise France is the exemple to follow with 40% tax rate
but :
- where are you guys coming from complaining about paying taxes ? And 15% is relatively low worldwide
- Where are you going on holidays ? 5 stars palace in Bali ?
- How old are you to have your partner idling at home ? In 2023 it’s kinda normal that both have steady job
- You can’t complain about paying tax and getting a limited medical coverage otherwise France is the exemple to follow with 40% tax rate
Partners - Unless they are specialised in a certain skill set (teacher, the medical field, CPA, finance etc) they will struggle to find employment in HK, as most jobs now require you to fluent in Mandarin/Canto.
Company provided medical coverage is very low with multiple caveats and Medical costs in HK are astronomical. The public system, as I said, often mis-diagnose symptoms so chances are a person is not getting proper treatment, you will NEED extra coverage for a family of four, that’ll run you about $250 USD a month to get adequate cover.
The take home pay is $9000 USD gross for a FO1, so let’s do the maths for a family of four.
Tax* - $1350 USD per month
*Company currently paying a crew’s US tax if you operate in US airspace but they can change this policy at anytime, and they will require you to pay your own US taxes
Accommodation - $3000 USD per month
Utilities- $300 USD per month
Groceries- $1500 USD a month (and that is on the low end)
Transport - $100 USD a month
Medical coverage - $250 USD a month
Schooling - $1000 USD a month
School Bus - $160 per child per month
Extra Curricular - $700 per month (2 activities per child).
Total: $8520 USD
Total savings is: $480 USD per month
This is not an exaggeration of the costs. It’s the reality of living in HK
Maybe if you save for a year without any unexpected expenses, you might have enough money to holiday somewhere like Japan for 5 nights.
There is a website that compares the cost of living in France to HK.
Here is a summary from a website that compares living expenses:
”Consumer Prices in Hong Kong are 1.3% lower than in Paris(without rent)
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Hong Kong are 16.5%higher than in Paris
Rent Prices in Hong Kong are 50.7% higher than in Paris
Restaurant Prices in Hong Kong are 24.3% lower than in Paris
Groceries Prices in Hong Kong are 7.2% higher than in Paris”
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Ewww
HES1998
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison!
Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison!
Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
From: Cern
HES1998
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison! Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison!
Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 192
Likes: 55
From: HK
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 98
Likes: 4
From: Angola
Not worth it but then depends on the options available. Defo not a career airline anymore. I made a bit of money on cos 08 as an FO, not anymore and it is a fact. Your wife must work and must have a decent job in a western environment or she will be working like a slave 7 days leave per year. For minimum pay. HK is one of the most expensive city in the world so that 9000 US are not the same 9000 US as in Texas.
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Hong Kong
HES1998
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison! Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison!
Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: The Poorhouse
Your wife could potentially earn this much per month, but her Onlyfans would need a steady and established following prior to coming to HK. I wouldn't rely on trying to 'build her subscription base' after you get here or you will just go backwards.
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 400
Likes: 3
From: Wan Chai
Lowball? Cabin crew earn half of this per month.
Your wife could potentially earn this much per month, but her Onlyfans would need a steady and established following prior to coming to HK. I wouldn't rely on trying to 'build her subscription base' after you get here or you will just go backwards.
Your wife could potentially earn this much per month, but her Onlyfans would need a steady and established following prior to coming to HK. I wouldn't rely on trying to 'build her subscription base' after you get here or you will just go backwards.
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 428
Likes: 20
From: HKG
HES1998
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison! Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.
Do not listen too much what people are saying on here. I mean, yes, do read, but also do your homework and own research.
I loved my time in HK and with CX. I moved on a while ago now, but gosh, had I read what people were saying 12 years ago, I would have never joined, and made a big mistake. Granted, the flying is not the most exciting (I hope you do not mind losing a few nights sleep every month starring at a dark windscreen). Taxes are low. Full stop. Yes, it is high compared to... the sand box. wow, great comparison!
Some people really need a reality check and see what happens elsewhere. Education is expensive, but the company will help you out. You will be making a lot of money with CX, and if you are not the biggest spender in town and you have a tad of wisdom (which I would expect since you are in this field of work), you will be saving quite a bit too. HK is a vibrant city. True, it has changed, but what has not? Live your life, enjoy the ride.