Captain earning potential
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 552
Likes: 22
From: Hong Kong
Sisiphos,
Vendetta comes to this forum with facts that outline a despicable history of employee abuse that he, like so many others, experienced working for Cathay Pacific. His posts are intelligently presented without the adolescent snarking you bring to the discussion.
Two things are obvious: Firstly, that you are unable to market your skills outside Cathay. Secondly, the entire aviation industry has become acutely aware of just how much Cathay has fallen. So much so that only those pilots in the industry that are desperate, or deemed unhirable anywhere else, need apply. All the former Cathay pilots with personal integrity and marketable skills, have resigned or retired.
In Vendtta’s case, the fact he is earning significantly more than what the top line captain earns today at Cathay speaks for itself.
It’s you who has clearly lost this game.
Vendetta comes to this forum with facts that outline a despicable history of employee abuse that he, like so many others, experienced working for Cathay Pacific. His posts are intelligently presented without the adolescent snarking you bring to the discussion.
Two things are obvious: Firstly, that you are unable to market your skills outside Cathay. Secondly, the entire aviation industry has become acutely aware of just how much Cathay has fallen. So much so that only those pilots in the industry that are desperate, or deemed unhirable anywhere else, need apply. All the former Cathay pilots with personal integrity and marketable skills, have resigned or retired.
In Vendtta’s case, the fact he is earning significantly more than what the top line captain earns today at Cathay speaks for itself.
It’s you who has clearly lost this game.
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 95
Likes: 19
From: On a few nerves apparently
Looking at the chart a Cathay captain "tops out" at let's say 4M HKD which is what the top 100 or so captains are earning, 3 times that is ~1.5M USD. You were able to walk into a job that pays that on day 1 on leaving CX?
I'm guessing OP does not have job offers from companies paying him ~1.5m USD per year hence this post.
I'm guessing OP does not have job offers from companies paying him ~1.5m USD per year hence this post.
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 40
Likes: 6
From: Disco Bay
So as you are earning 3 times as much as them, please tell us where you are working - if this is a pilot job I’d like to apply!
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 76
Likes: 66
From: Hong Kong
Sorry, but I waited years for this 😂
My only remaining wish now is for cxorcist and Piet Lood to be with us as well ❤️
Last edited by Sisiphos; 5th July 2025 at 07:56.
Joined: Aug 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 816
Likes: 230
From: Cyprus
SOPS; Run outa chocopos, Can I have some of yours. Now this is what Fragrant Harbour is all about. Gees I have missed the fun in the morning lurkabout.
Sis; gotta congratulate on your flow and articulation. I would have fallen for the goading much earlier and would need restraining as I resort to fistacuffs in time honoured manner.
Your control- admirable.
Sis; gotta congratulate on your flow and articulation. I would have fallen for the goading much earlier and would need restraining as I resort to fistacuffs in time honoured manner.
Your control- admirable.
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 95
Likes: 19
From: On a few nerves apparently
Or do you seriously suggest one should use a very indirect way via a financial filing document instead of the actual document (this week's version anyway) which will be followed to calculate one's pay? And as we all know, the direct document one's pay is calculated upon, is subject to whatever changes whenever the company wishes.
One would have to be a special kind of delusional to believe cathay won't adjust the min guarantee used to calculate base salary as far down as they want, when they can. How many years will you have wasted having lost the chance and the seniority you could have had at a stable contract job instead of then having to start at the bottom somewhere else after 5, 10, 15 etc years at cathay.
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 29
Likes: 12
From: LA
These are the figures I’ve come up with, happy to be corrected, as I left Cathay nearly 4 years ago.
The absolute max a Captain 4 on the Airbus can make is around HKD 3.0M gross / HKD 2.5M net per year. That includes flying 900 hours, 6 weeks profit share, 13th month, housing, and schooling. Very few hit this.
After paying for your own housing and schooling, net drops to about HKD 1.9M/year or HKD 158K/month. Most won’t reach this scale anyway.
A lower captain scale brings in about HKD 1.9M gross / 1.6M net, or HKD 133K/month. Deduct housing and school, and you're down to HKD 92K/month.
Now, if you go off guaranteed base pay only, no profit share, it’s a very different picture:
The absolute max a Captain 4 on the Airbus can make is around HKD 3.0M gross / HKD 2.5M net per year. That includes flying 900 hours, 6 weeks profit share, 13th month, housing, and schooling. Very few hit this.
After paying for your own housing and schooling, net drops to about HKD 1.9M/year or HKD 158K/month. Most won’t reach this scale anyway.
A lower captain scale brings in about HKD 1.9M gross / 1.6M net, or HKD 133K/month. Deduct housing and school, and you're down to HKD 92K/month.
Now, if you go off guaranteed base pay only, no profit share, it’s a very different picture:
- Captain Year 4: HKD 2.1M gross / 1.76M net → HKD 146K/month
After housing/school: ~HKD 101K/month - Lower scale Captain: HKD 1.72M gross / 1.45M net → HKD 121K/month
After housing/school: ~HKD 79K/month
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 298
Likes: 2
From: in denial
Ah, slowly it dawns on you and the other haters and doomsayers.. It's really fascinating, I almost can hear your brains moaning in agony, slowly understanding they have to go into reverse.
Sorry, but I waited years for this 😂
My only remaining wish now is for cxorcist and Piet Lood to be with us as well ❤️
Sorry, but I waited years for this 😂
My only remaining wish now is for cxorcist and Piet Lood to be with us as well ❤️
SCN2 to CN1. Same base pay I received 10 years earlier as an FO
Up to 115K Housing Allowance to 36K HKPA
15.5% DC PFund to 5% Match on mandatory 5% co-contribution
(Mostly) free healthcare > 30k + annual premium
Education Allowance ....
Some screwy logic you have there Boi! Do you also mistake the TOGA switches for reverse?
And yeah, not sure where V for V works (possibly same place as me), but my base pay is 3 x times the amount I stood to get on POS18. Really missing CX, ay! Even the former Airbus DCP is here.
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 61
Likes: 61
From: HKG
Sure, if you had a job offer at United you would be nuts to take CX especially those who joined in 2022 and ended up getting historically quick commands. But clearly that's not the choice the people applying today are deciding between. So telling a poster from NZ (or applicants from SA, Malaysia, etc) how much better you're getting paid than them is useless and obnoxious.
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 40
Likes: 6
From: Disco Bay
Response edited to reflect an adult conversation.
T28B
The part where he refuses to accept a factual financial document that is publicly available audited and shows over 100 pilots earning over 4m last year.
OP didn’t ask what part of the pay at CX is guaranteed. He said he’s seen the payscales for Captain 4 and asked “Is there a path at Cathay where pilots can earn 3 million HKD annually and if so how long could it take ?” and here is proof that they can, and many hundreds do..
T28B
The part where he refuses to accept a factual financial document that is publicly available audited and shows over 100 pilots earning over 4m last year.
OP didn’t ask what part of the pay at CX is guaranteed. He said he’s seen the payscales for Captain 4 and asked “Is there a path at Cathay where pilots can earn 3 million HKD annually and if so how long could it take ?” and here is proof that they can, and many hundreds do..
Last edited by T28B; 7th July 2025 at 12:07. Reason: get rid of the noise and back to normal discourse
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 298
Likes: 2
From: in denial
Obnoxious maybe, but asinine comments like "slowly understanding they have to go into reverse" or "missed the boat" might attract a strong rebuttal from the guys who left and are thriving.
To the OP, a select few Captains may well earn 3M HKD/year (Management, C&T), but it's not consistently achievable by the average line guy and would take years of service to achieve. By which point, the handbook (not a contract) would have been revised downwards many times, as it has been already. You have zero control over future earnings at CX.
I too could produce ALPA data on the $1M (USD) club at the US majors, but I'd never hold it up as realistic earnings during normal times.
To the OP, a select few Captains may well earn 3M HKD/year (Management, C&T), but it's not consistently achievable by the average line guy and would take years of service to achieve. By which point, the handbook (not a contract) would have been revised downwards many times, as it has been already. You have zero control over future earnings at CX.
I too could produce ALPA data on the $1M (USD) club at the US majors, but I'd never hold it up as realistic earnings during normal times.
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 40
Likes: 6
From: Disco Bay
[QUOTE: To the OP, a select few Captains may well earn 3M HKD/year (Management, C&T), but it's not consistently achievable by the average line guy and would take years of service to achieve.’’
There were 402 pilots earning over 3m last year according to the 2024 annual report - there were maybe 230-270 trainers and management (?), so at least 100 line pilots taking over the magic 3m mark among that ‘select few’.
So the answer to OPs question is yes, but I agree it would take years as Commands will slow and it’s slow to get up the pay scales. And VforV will still be on here telling us he earns 3 times more than any CX pilot
There were 402 pilots earning over 3m last year according to the 2024 annual report - there were maybe 230-270 trainers and management (?), so at least 100 line pilots taking over the magic 3m mark among that ‘select few’.
So the answer to OPs question is yes, but I agree it would take years as Commands will slow and it’s slow to get up the pay scales. And VforV will still be on here telling us he earns 3 times more than any CX pilot
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 98
Likes: 4
From: Angola
My (everybody) package was reduced by 50% so what the hell are some people here talking about ?
Not easy to leave for all of us, nothing to do with moral integrity like someone says or Stockholm syndrome just personal circumstances and choices.
Definitely everybody had a good look around.
Not easy to leave for all of us, nothing to do with moral integrity like someone says or Stockholm syndrome just personal circumstances and choices.
Definitely everybody had a good look around.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 56
Likes: 7
From: HK
Also, total remuneration and earnings mean different things to different people. From CX POV, that is what it is costing them - so will include provident fund payments, housing and education reimbursements or allowance, the kitchen sink
Most people don’t this as ‘earnings’ which they tend to see as ‘pay’ So it can both be right that it costs CX >3m to employ 400 crew, but those crew don’t see themselves as being paid 3m.
Most people don’t this as ‘earnings’ which they tend to see as ‘pay’ So it can both be right that it costs CX >3m to employ 400 crew, but those crew don’t see themselves as being paid 3m.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 20
Likes: 2
From: New Zealand
[QUOTE: To the OP, a select few Captains may well earn 3M HKD/year (Management, C&T), but it's not consistently achievable by the average line guy and would take years of service to achieve.’’
There were 402 pilots earning over 3m last year according to the 2024 annual report - there were maybe 230-270 trainers and management (?), so at least 100 line pilots taking over the magic 3m mark among that ‘select few’.
So the answer to OPs question is yes, but I agree it would take years as Commands will slow and it’s slow to get up the pay scales. And VforV will still be on here telling us he earns 3 times more than any CX pilot
There were 402 pilots earning over 3m last year according to the 2024 annual report - there were maybe 230-270 trainers and management (?), so at least 100 line pilots taking over the magic 3m mark among that ‘select few’.
So the answer to OPs question is yes, but I agree it would take years as Commands will slow and it’s slow to get up the pay scales. And VforV will still be on here telling us he earns 3 times more than any CX pilot
When I look at the images with pay for 2019 and 2024 overall isn’t it still quite similar overall ?