Cathay - What's it like
 

Hi Guys,

In the process of applying for Cathay. Been reading allot of posts that seem to be very negative however that seems to be mostly on the Cargo fleets. nyone out there care to speak of the PAX fleets.

Also what are rosters like, I appreciate that varies on fleet, base, rank etc etc.

Also what is life like in Hong Kong, prices, living, ex-pat life etc.

A final point, when joining what dictates whether you go on the pax or cargo fleet?

Any points gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

Stay where you are.

A good friend of mine has resigned after only 8 months. The following reasons stated in his resignation letter.

1. Extremely high standard expected of the individual, this high standard not returned by company.

2. Ground school the worst ever completed. Having to use other airlines CBT's and vol 8's (past exam q and a's) to pass exam.

3. Sim training not much better

4. Line training was the only good thing.

5. Housing, trying to gain your housing entitlements was impossible.

6. Without housing allowance pay extemely poor.

Good luck:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

Cathay - What's it like
 

I think you just failed the IQ test. Five mins spent reading F Harbour posts should paint a clear picture.

Visibility is about 200m (pollution) from my flat today.

My personal air filter is running on high and hasn't stopped for weeks.

I will not be going out today in order to preserve my health.

So... that's how things are today.

One thing you should keep in mind is that most people who post in Pprune are more likely to whinge about the job. There are some very good things and some bad, like all jobs.

Resigning because your company expects a high standard is boneheaded. Regardless of what someone who has been in the company 8 months thinks they know about CX.
Ground school consists of CBT where you get days off rostered to work through it, at work of in your hotel room. Then you get briefing from the technical guys and after each one a fixed based sim to consolidate. You only need vol 8's if you can't handle the work load. As for other airlines CBT ...BS....
Sim training has, like all airlines, some great and not so good guys. I found it better than my last airline by far.

It is again total BS about it being "impossible" to get your housing allowance. Follow the procedures and you get it. 2000 pilots get it now. They pay your mortgage for christs sake. How many airlines do that?

Pay is very good compared to most airlines and condition are much, much better than most.

More info.
Hong Kong is polluted. There have never been days of 200m visibility.
Rosters are busy and disrupted on the freighter fleet. On the Pax fleet it depends on your type. Long haul you do 3 trips a month. Each trip is 4 days where you usually leave at midnight on day one and come back at 6 am day 4. Mixed short and long haul (777 and Airbus) you work more days. Your contract hours are 84 per month. IF YOU WANT to, right now, you can get up to about 50% extra salary if you accept callouts to do extra hours.

Hong Kong is expensive for housing and the quality is poorish and accomodation is smaller that most countries. Western food is sometimes expensive. Local food is cheap. You will almost certainly have more money at the end of the month if that you had before. A lot more for some people.

There are some great lifestyle options if you have an open mind.

Overall in aviation it is still a very good job, even if we have to fight a constant battle to keep it that way.(like all airlines). Don't listen too hard to the whingers.

&&&&
 

Just to keep it a bit real &&& I don't work for Cathay and I am just stating one persons experience. Until freedom of speech is taken away, I am sure I can say what I know.

Thanks for your input

&&& Maybe not 200m
 

but last year had to do an LWMO (less than 550m) into HKG and depsite what the Metar said... it was smog...

Does anyone know the current (average) time to command on the various fleets please?

thanks for the info so far guys. Especially &&&. Can you confirm that if you live in Hong Kong you only pay hong kong tax

Correct. If you are HK based then it's HK tax only. Roughly 16%. :ok:

Bull****, the guys a UK poster....be afraid, verry afraid....... Make absolutely certain that the UKIR&C don't get you too!!

&&& - " Pay is very good compared to most airlines and condition are much, much better than most."

WAS very good, right? New pay scale (again) from 01.01.08, correct? When is the next (e,f?? not sure how far down the guys are yet) pay scale coming?

CP

handflown, it's simply a matter of perspective - like everything else, too.
If you come from a poor country or a really ****ty company you probably will find CX attractive.
If you've been around a bit it's a different thing.

And yes, the fog over here IS thick and yellow.

Cathay bases
 

Hi.
I am thinking of applying to Cathay. I have 744 Type Rating and 747 Classic Rating. 4000 hours. Maybe I'll get interview, maybe not. My question is concerning base assignments. I currently live in Prague, Czech Rep. Is it possible that I could ask for a Frankfurt base and commute to and from Prague? Or do they put you in Anchorage right away or what? I can legally live in Europe or the USA, although I would prefer to stay in Europe. I guess what I need to know is if the new hire has any say where he gets based? I;m also looking at doing that Korean Air "commuting' contract advertised for 744 pilots. Any news on that one as well?

Thanks.

FO housing is about 57k HKD. It gets you a place that is decent. It is linked to the market and moves monthly.

Listen, I hate the imposition of the new payscales and I never work G days etc. BUT it is a payrise so given that conditions have not changed other that pay (on the 1/1/08) then it clearly is better as you are taking more money home. If you were going to join before the end of the year and then joined direct onto a base as an FO then your scale is worse. But if you are 6 years service or more it is the same pay with an increase on top. It may not be as much as you or I want but implying that it is now worse is simply incorrect.