Hong Kong Airlines
 

it's getting worst and worst down there. Company is just managed like china airlines. Quite a big mess. Now, it 's pretty hard for the airline to get some new joiner as the package offered became weak. no more bonus, 8 days off per month max, poor network, no support at all from the management...well welcome to one of the worst airline in Asia.
Since 2 years, we did loose more than 60 pilots. a 100 since 3 years which represents a cost of 50 millions hk dollars lost. Unbelievable how people can lie to their pilots just to make sure they will cover the flights.
Right now, HKA is hardly able to cover all flight. a huge lack of pilot for single reason. So, the rosters are not stable at all, it's getting hard to have a life with them. Last time, pilots have been called at last minute to cover scheduled flight. Unfortunately, they decided to refuse it and had request reason of this last. "no stand by pilots to cover it". you had perfectly understood that in HKA scheduled flight are performed by pilot on stdby...pffff
Every single flight is upon the shoulders of the pilot. The young operations staff don't have any experience in the aviation and are not able to advise pilots. Even, none of the pilots has met any dispatcher during specific flight. It looks like the company wish to overload the Cpt..any mistakes ...you are dead.
No more bonus for the pilots except the discretionary bonus...either you are a AL or CS then you got the full one ...at the opposite..you got even just the half.
The cpt upgrade session....terrible. it is a test based on your capability to find a information in a book. They give a **** if you are able to be a cpt...but if you can answer to 20 question called APP directly from China Airlines.So, after having it, you have 3 sim sessions just check your ability to fly Airbus then 3 flight with instructors. That's it...then you are a cpt with all the responsabilities that you had never experienced or faced with an instructor.

I try to stay off pprune, but I had no choice when I was in the USA and wanted info on HKA. I decided to take the risk and come here, against all the bad stuff posted here.. So far it is 10 times better than the regional I came from.

I just think a lot of things posted here might be by CX guys that have actually only heard things and never worked here? Like the previous poster, saying how bad the schedules are here. I totally disagree. I am sitting at home right now as I type this on standby. I've had the past 3 days off. I *might* be gone more than 6 nights a month. My schedule here is so much better than I'm use to. My wife really enjoys having me home almost every night. My FEB schedule only had me gone from home 3 nights!

So yeah, I am new here. And some of the things posted here are true. Dispatchers are not much help. You are kinda on your own here as a pilot. But jease guys, its not that bad here. I dunno, maybe its the past 10 years at a US regional that lowered my standards. Call me crazy, but I'm totally OK with this job and have no plans on going back to the US no matter what major might call me.

I just wanted to add this to counter all the negativity on here. I'm curious as to how many of these people actually work at HKA or not??

Sewer, we hear what your saying. Re-read your post in 5-6 years. Get back to us.

Hong Kong Airlines
 

Sewer... I M looking for indo about HKA!!!
Just recived my offer letter from HKA!
Still there? Any way to contact outside PPRUNE?
Tnks a lot

HKA interview
 

Dear fellow pilots.I have a screening for A320 fo position at hka .Am a little bit nervous regarding the interview especially the technical' questions and the sim check ride.Can you please give me any feedbacks and what exactly i should prepare for.thank you so much for your help.Have a safe flight.

Zero hours A320 accepted?
 

Hi Guys!

Does someone know if HKA hire freshly type rated pilots with less than 1000Hrs TT?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Why not? They have taken in guys without even jet hours..all depends on their current situation

You lost me at "loose".

In your dream. Those guys at least flew heavy turboprop with ATPL.:confused:

Its sad to see an airline that is named Hong Kong and represents Hong Kong that is not even up to near standards. Its a total disgrace to the Hong Kong citizens. Nothing is right about his airline. Frankly speaking what Chouchou said is 101% true.

It was terrible in 2007 and its even worst now. Its pity that the CAD did nothing about this airline and I believe they never will unless they change Mr Lo.

HKA could have overtaken CPA, but doubt they ever will with these kinda mobs running the show Lol

First it was singers, then turned Taiwanese, and now its back to Hainan again. Surprisingly HKE made a stunning change even though they are still under the Hainan group.

In my dreams? Cmon I know cos I have a fren who flies Atr and starting his A320 Cse soon..well I am surprised with the current news some of us gather...old u call it? Or green eye...

At least your friend has commercial experience. By the sound of it, that chap only has piston hours and less than 1K hours. It is a known fact that turboprop guys can get into HK and Macau without hours on type.

Any news about the assessment in HKA?
Tec questions regarding ATPL or Airbus systems?
Thanks

Try asking Lee a promise...he seems to have the answers for all abt HKA...enjoy

Does anyone have info on the atpl or techincal questions they ask in the interview? Very much appreciated.

From this:

To this:

We truly are our own worst enemies...
:(

Letter of offer???
 

Hi my name Maniqe im from the US, I. Interviewed with HKA about 2 months ago. A week after i completed my interview i recieved an email saying that I was successful in the interview process but still havnt received a letter of offer.
Just wondering if you know jow long it takes before they give you an official offer?
Would appreciate a reply as i have been anxioysly waiting.

Can anyone tell me what ICAO level English HKA require ? I'm guessing 1 or 2 ?

I don't know but would have thought 5 or 6 if not 4?

More than 5 of course!
English Examiners are one Cpt. man and one FO woman both from Australia. Not so easy if English is not your native language.

Hi mate i'm in the same boat, can you please pm me ?

All you have to do is to be able to pronounce "Bauhinia" correctly, instead of "Bohemia".

Is anyone actually starting with hka atm ?

PM
 

Sir,

I have sent PM..any feedback.Thank's

airdualbleedfault

Can anyone tell me what ICAO level English HKA require ? I'm guessing 1 or 2 ?

Hilarious😂😂😂😂

Guess you gotta have level 6 to appreciate this post.........

HKA
 

Hi.

I hope you're well.

May I ask if you have information about HKA screening for the 330?

Thanks.

Hi there, is anyone so kind to give me an idea of what are the salary and benefits (including staff tickets) for a direct entry capt on the 320?

Thank you

Is it possible to get a quick command at HKA as a gweilo expat?

is there a seniority system or is there an hours requirement for upgrade?

Thanks

Yes there is...present queue is 110 FOs waiting....5-6 yrs?? Good luck

Bo hee nee ah, how'd I do crewkuntrol? 😃

Expat/Commuting?
 

Heard a rumour this may be on offer for DEC with announcement coming in April 2016. Anyone able to corroborate?

How long of an upgrade time are you looking at?

Sewerpipe,
I, for one, am happy you found a flying position that makes you happy.
The people in the industry now have it SO MUCH harder now than when I was hired by TWA in 1966.
The best example is the commuter airlines in the USA. From my reading the conditions are deplorable.
Best wishes and ENJOY.

Joined HKA 5 years ago , with 3000hrs + on the 330 bus, and left after 3 years.
No proper system up for up-grade, except to be part of one of the gangs.
Filipino, Portuguese, or Singaporean;
If you fit in with one of three above go for it, otherwise you will forever be an outcast no matter what experience you bring......................

Ryanair comes in for plenty of abuse on this Forum, but HKA working conditions are worse than the lowest Low Cost Carrier in Europe.
At Ryanair they have a stable roster pattern (5 on 4 off), no night flying, no overnights away from home. Even with a high workload you dont have cumulative fatigue from alternating day/night duties.
But at HKA you'll do a 6AM start, followed by a 10PM report, followed by another 6AM start. As long as it's 'legal (min rest/max duty) you'll be rostered.
Alternating Day/Night patterns, repetitive through night flights, multiple roster changes (lots of guys taking sick days for recovery), regular single days off to maintain bare legal minima followed by 'crack of dawn' starts afterward, a pair of days off slipped in once a month because its mandated by law, then back to max duties after. Every day is a 10 hour day, minimum. Many run over that.

Most routes are into China, so massive ATC headaches and delays abound. Come the Summer - the weather gets hairy, and you'll do battle every day with humungous CB's.

Ryanair Management are famous for abusing pilots. HKA Management simply abandon them to their fate. Zero support, operationally or Professionally. You'll be flight planned into typhoon centres, given minimum fuel in weather restricted airpots, and generally abandoned to sort the show out on your own - and carry the can if you fail to do so. Clerks from various departments will send you nasty little emails telling you to 'buck up' if you miss a tick on a document, no matter how obscure.

it soon makes Ryanair look appealing. At least they seem to run a tight operation. At HKA you are a company scapegoat - be ready to carry the can because they'll always try to thrust the blame on you for their own shortcomings.

Sums it up rather nicely me thinks.

For whatever it's worth, and I'm not working for HKA, this is what I've heard recently from a friend who has been in contact with them.

Better health insurance, than the one before, is now in place

Loss of license in place, don't know any numbers

13 months pay

Upgrade program is now in place for First Officers

A330s keep coming this year, the A350 next (?) year

Basic pay of about 145K @ 65 hours, over 65 hours paid at about USD130 per hour, A330 + 5K (from wasinc website)

Extra pay for training positions

Nothing is perfect and you will always have people that are not happy with their deal but I think there are worse outfits out there.

bjb

.
He's been suckered.

New, but no better, same crummy 120K HKD max on any claim. Don't get cancer.

Too late for a few guys. Don't expect to retire on it. It's a paltry single payment.

BS. There's no 13th month at HKA.

It's been 'in place' for a couple of years actually, and the queue is still over 5 years long. Selection may involve serious brown nosing.

One 350 may arrive late 2016. You won't be on it. Back of queue. Commence brown nosing.

More BS. The basic for an FO is 75/85 depending on rating. They 'manage' your work to keep you at or close to 50hrs. Most guys just break 100K HKD.

At far far below going rate. Only for wannabes and self regarders.
BJ, eh....that explains it.....

I just applied. 2750 TT, 1870 SIC, with BE1900, Saab 340, EMB-145 and MD-11 type ratings. I'm hoping for the A330, but because I don't have more than 150 hours in the -11. Fingers crossed, it has to be better than anything I've had up to this point.

OK, that could be. Like I said, I don't have the details. With the exception of one company, I have always had my own health insurance for myself and my family on top of whats been offered by my employers. I usually recommend people to have their own insurance anyway. There are very few companies, in aviation, offering health coverage that truly covers the employee and his/her family.

Personally, same as for health insurance. I have my own as no one will take care of me or my family should something go wrong.

Call it what you want. According to wasinc's website there's a yearly bonus averaging $12.9k per year for the first three years. As its a 3 year contract I would presume the same is true for the following 3 years.

Not sure about the "brown nosing" as I don't work there but a 5 year queue for upgrade is fairly short I would say. Try almost any other airline flying mixed short and long haul and see what the estimated upgrade time is for a new joiner.

Like I said, I'm not interested in working for HKA but if I was, why should I as a new joiner expect to be on the A350 when lots of pilots have already been with the company for years? They should be the ones getting the chance to join a new fleet, only fair or?

I was talking about CPT's pay and the pay I quoted came from wasinc's website as I could not remember the numbers. Flying 50 hours per month will surely not continue once the fleet and network grows as it would not be cost effective. I'm guessing that anyone joining pretty much any airline today should expect to fly at least 80 hours per month.

Could be, but not sure where else in Asia you would be able to join in the left seat and get involved in training if that's what you would like to do? I heard that training pay was about HKD10K per qualification or something along those lines. Can't really remember but I'm sure someone here can confirm that?


Like I said before, perhaps not the best deal around but doesn't sound like the worst either.

Killarro, do you work for HKA? If so, why are staying? You seem pretty frustrated, can't be good for your health...

Its all about expectations and how to manage them.

bjb