CX Staff travel the worst?
 

Of the major airlines, is CX THE WORST.. I fly on BA, AF, EK, TG and lately EY (Etihad). Without exception, I am treated better and with more respect on these than CX ( LHR prob an exception in recent past at least but going downhill). Eg. Imagine the skipper leaving his seat once he realised a staff on board and directed senior p to upgrade (AF).
BA apologised for not upgrading me and in flight gave me Two bottles of champagne..
EK in HKG ( excellent on phone) gave me a ghost boarding pass to stay airside in DXB for next flight. Of course they have airside staff counter. Try that HKG with CX!
EK at a European airport gave me a boarding pass straight away and a dummy for DXB even both flights 'Full'. Second sector thro BKK (more full it seemed) but when I enquired if I would risk being offloaded in BKK they were surprised and said 'we would never do that to staff! See CX policy on that!
EY very helpful on phone and accepted zed to diff place and diff airline (EK) ticket. Pass issued straight away.. Free transport AUH TO DXB to catch EK flight..

The attitude towards staff comes down from the top (middle top) so need more to be said in the case of CX?

Another subject.. One world and Z fares from Oct 1 are up 20%.

Along with all other similar fare increases in Hkg, we are suffering like any ware else but are we likely to see similar Inc in pay? Of course in BA own staff don't pay these rates like in CX and can also buy sub loads for friends and family.

I have to buy my grown up kids tickets from commercial websites as CX won 't allow more than two in addition to spouse and I keep the parents on that list.

Staff sub loads are not only a no cost to CX but actually are a profit centre putting ticket cost, tax and fuel surcharges into empty seats - heaven forbid helping staff as well.

Again, this vindictive jobs worth attitude is hopefully something our new more wordily wise CEO will stamp out..

There are two expat manager leaving parties I would def attend!

How many CX staff are left behind at HKG just because we cannot wait on standby at the gate, like we can with just about every other airline at just about any airport?

Have flown on dozens and dozens of other airlines and in every case, CX is the worst:

• Lousy pre-flight web site with invalid information of no assistance
• Absurd waste of time checking in online
• Slow, unmotivated staff at staff check in acting like they are doing you a favour by tolerating your presence (outside the absurd corded off area)
• Worthless flight status board that cannot be read from behind the corded off area anyway
• Automatic issuance of the worst seat on the plane (last row, middle seat, toilet, galley, etc.) no matter how many other seats are available
• Refusal to accept higher zone fares/opposite direction city pairs/different zones/anything that requires 5 seconds of extra typing
• Refusal to simply having blank passes that charge whatever the actual fare turns out to be
• Refusal to create obviously simple blank e-tickets for any sector anywhere anytime
• When using a very limited quota of F class tickets, must still use the F ticket even when downgraded therefore losing that benefit, then must fill in form to get the downgrade refund 2 months later (as with all downgrades)
• Obsession with ensuring nobody gets anything extra like an upgrade
• Absurd deadlines for listing and listing cancellations that cannot be adhered to by many operating crew who therefore lose their entitled priority (this does not affect ground staff/office workers like BN himself)
• Despite paying for the meals, they will disappear if you don't eat on time
• Pointlessness of the FOC benefit that does not work

I could go on, but it's aggravating me too much to think of the endless list of awful treatment.

I'm not CX staff, but had my last staff ticket to HKG issued as a Cathay one (I work for a UK regional with BA affiliations). Sorry to say I'd never do so again (based on my own experience and that of my elder brother, a CX F/O).

From the get go the LHR staff were rude, obstructive and made it clear I wasn't welcome. The treatment of their own staff waiting for a flight was hardly better.

Fast forward a couple of hours and trip to T5 and my experience was night and day. BA sorted a ticket with minimum hassle and the CSD was kind enough to come down and apologise for not being able to find me a better seat on the full flight (I was glad just to get on). I was spoiled rotten for the rest of the flight, same on the way back.

From the outside looking in, I'm afraid this seems to be Cathay's MO. At one time I'd have given my left nut to join. Nowadays it seems there are much better deals, even as pax.

I wonder how much the staff of other airlines have to pay to travel First Class on their own airline?

CX staff (if they're even eligible, as many, if not most, are not eligible to travel First Class on CX!) have to pay US$1,171 for a STANDBY ticket on CX from HKG to LAX and back to HKG!!!! Couple this with the crappy treatment one usually gets when the cabin crew know you are CX staff and...

Qantas :
- bookings instant over the net, no printing out tickets.
- actual pax/staff numbers ( and priority )easliy available
- kids can travel in J
- as a general rule, the CC do not hate you for coming to " their " country and taking " their " compatriates jobs. ( and getting paid 10 times as much )

Travelled on QF as non-staff, ZED fare, upgraded to J, try that one on CX.

Cx captain would not dare ask/tell ISM to upgrade anyone, 95% chance of being reported and ending up with a written warning.

All in all, yes CX staff travel is one of the suckier ones :ok:

For all you CX pilots on here bitching about the nickel and dime mentality towards everything, keep that in mind next time you are asked to help the operation by using discretion or working on your days off.

Must make you feel pretty silly knowing that none of the goodwill you show is rewarded, so do yourself and everyone else here a favor and start defending the profession by actually doing something about it. :ugh:

Just for the record the QF Staff travel numbers do not take I to account oversale or weight problems, just like CX.

I've travelled a lot on QF staff travel and only once in 15 years was I ever upgraded. In fact most of the time we are either seated in the last row or my family is spread all over the show!! Even when the Aircraft has 30 empty seats!!
So, QF not much better in my opinion.

The craziest thing for me is when you you're given Jump seat status one by the Captain of the Aircraft no less, then the ground staff realize that there is an economy seat available after everyone has checked in and then you are told to decamp to the economy section, meanwhile the passengers around you in business wonder what the hell is going on!

LHR with J1 Confirmed on the 747 heading back to HK and holding and ID90 J Class ticket.

Was made to wait until 45 mins before departure before I got a boarding card, despite having J1. Got to boarding gate to be given an economy seat. I pointed out to the ticket lady I had J1 and would prefer that seat, she looked and me and told me that I must take the economy seat and not J1 as that is the rules and I should know better than to ask.

Its a total mess, I am currently waiting 8 weeks for ticket refunds on J class tickets where only economy seats were available, 8 weeks !

The staff at the staff travel counter in HKG are rude, there is no clear system on seat availability, its a total mess at the counter every night, and dare you if you speak out of turn as they love nothing better than to report you, and the management love nothing better to bash the expat flight crew who should know better to speak to the local check in staff like that.

Look at the BA system in LHR, fantastic, e-ticket, self check in, SMS to confirm. I even travelled on my friends FlyBe staff travel recently, once they realized I was staff it was free tea and sandwich, on a low cost airline !

In May I travelled with friends to PMI from MAN on BMI Baby, the cabin crew heard us chatting and realized we were all flight crew, they even gave us free tea/coffee and biscuits, again a low cost airline who charge for this.

It will never change here, they would turn in their grave if they though we were all getting something close to good service on a staff ticket.

I echo the comment regarding EK in HKG on the phone, I was trying to jump on late BKK flight with family. Called EK in HKG to list, they could not have been more helpful, she even took out ticket number and names and checked us in over the phone, got to the airport and it was as if they were expecting us, they were lovely, got on board, economy. and they gave us a wine list from business and told us to pick what we wanted.

Its not hard to look after each other, we would all do the same, but CX staff travel is the worst I have ever encountered.

As for Asia Miles...... Don't get me started..... Have you ever went to the Asia Miles desk to enquire about an Asia Miles Upgrade to your full fare economy ticket in uniform, they treat you like crap, I told her last week, I am standing here as an Asia Miles customer not as a pilot, made no difference.

As for FOC tickets, now there is a joke, FOC my arse, confirmed my arse

Yeh I travelled with them a lot over 15 years too nitpick, as an employee, but I'll take your word for it ;)

I'm not apologizing for CX staff travel, but the rules do say that if the flight is expected to depart with passenger seats available, then no jumpseat boarding cards should be allocated to ANY [staff] passengers. They also say that all [staff] passengers are required to standby until 40 minutes prior to departure, and that no early issuance of boarding passes for Jumpseat pax will be entertained. It's all in OPM-A 14.14.

While there might be a J class seat allocated for cockpit crew rest on long haul 744 flights, you'll only get to use it if you are issued with a jumpseat boarding pass, and then only if the operating crew aren't using the seat. If there are empty seats in economy that's where you'll be sitting.

BuzzBox, surely they could sort that out at the gate, but no doubt it comes down to "cannot" as they can't think outside the box. So it's always a mad rush out to gate 67.

@ SMOC.. Exactly.

There is NO Valid reason why someone who will definitely
be flying (J1).. is not sent to the gate.
A new boarding pass can always be issued
@ the gate later.

Anything less is simply 'cannot' mentality.
As opposed the 'can do' attitude which built
this airline.

It's all a very sad state of affairs.

Every single time I have flown with BA as staff travel.....EVERY SINGLE TIME.....I have either been upgraded to Club/Business or their crew have personally apologized for being unable to give me an upgrade as they are full. They owe us nothing and yet they are still helpful and courteous.
And yet with our own airline, the airline that expects us to go the extra mile for them during typhoons etc, we are made to feel like trash, as if we are an inconvenience and they would rather we didn't even have the audacity to approach the Staff Travel check in. With the exception of London, where they appear to show both compassion and common sense, CX Staff Travel is as painful and inflexible as it is embarrassing. Those in charge must feel REALLY proud of themselves.

Wraith...... Just playing devils advocate here mate but CX think that we are well enough remunerated to fly into Typhoons and the like day in day out to the highest standard they train us to.

Crap I know, but that's the way they think. Until people start leaving for "greener pastures" their attitude will not change.

Bring it on.....

What I find exasperating about CX Staff travel, is that in all other ports around the world that I have experienced.... Hong Kong is by far the worst!! How disappointing, your home base!! I could list 9 other ports just off the top of my head that have gone out of their way to help Mrs. boocs and I at various times. Really gone that extra mile, but Hong Kong..... the complete opposite!!

b.

It's almost embarrassing to be upgraded so often on other carriers (BA especially, but also AF, AZ, IB and occasionally LH and KL) and treated so warmly, and somewhat irritating to know that you will never be able to return the favor if they one day travel on our airline. Indeed I'm amazed anyone ever upgrades CX staff anymore, considering how they would be treated traveling with us.

I myself am usually treated far better (and have a much better chance of being upgraded) when traveling AF/BA/LH than when traveling my own airline, and the amenity kit is included of course: none of this cheap "industry standard" don't-accept-amenity-kits-even-if-you've-actually-paid-more-for-a-business-class-ticket. :ugh:

These may appear to those in positions of power to be "trifling issues", but in fact it is these small things one can't help thinking of when asked to go the extra mile and go into discretion/work into your seventh day/reduce rest/answer your phone etc etc and generally keep the operation running smoothly.

Management don't care because they always get treated better and upgraded and all the rest, as everyone sucks up to them from start to finish, including half the pilots.

Of course BN has no clue, because everyone keeps giving him the special treatment. Capts even give him the J/S for some absurd reason! It's crazy: Let him stew back there in 58B for 13 hours and see what staff travel is really like.

The cost of tickets is through the roof, the level of service and respect is minimal, and everyone is always trying to make sure you get as little out of your travel experience as possible, denying you as much stuff as they can. It just makes no sense.

It would be SO EASY to do nice things for each other, give people extras for free, make life better and make people happy and appreciative...but that would make sense.

Nitpicker,
My point was nothing to do with how we are remunerated for the job we do. I don't see how you could have figured that it was?
My point is that CX Staff Travel is overly complicated and basically a disgrace compared to other airlines. It could be improved but I doubt it will because that would be the sensible thing to do, and CX sure doesn't like sensible. Nor does it like being decent or respectful, or heaven forbid, gracious towards its staff, even though it expects its staff to jump to the rescue when it needs help. BN is a guy who answers EVERY letter of complaint or suggestion to him with a reason why said situation CAN'T be remedied, even though other airlines seem to manage. He is happy to wallow in his own sense of self importance whilst basically being totally ineffective and useless.
But, when the phone rings and 2747 pops up on the screen, it sure does make it easier to flip the ringer to silent and crack open that next cold one. I'd love to help them but they have taught me that that would just be a ridiculous way to behave!:ok:

And what about not letting kids in J class till they're 15! At EK and QF kids allowed in J class from 0!
I can understand maybe stopping babies, but from age 4 you can reason with a child and ensure they behave. For those who have out of control children sanction them, not the rest of us.
The CEO's children are obviously better than the rest of the employees', because his kids can go F from the year 0 :ugh: