I did a quick interweb thingy search.

ESF Base Rate:

Primary schools (Years 2 to 6) - HK$83,800
Secondary schools (Years 7 to 11) HK$117,600
Secondary schools (Years 12 to 13) HK$123500

Aussie school (as there a lot of those types in CX, apparently they educate the K1Z1s as well):

Primary school HK$129,600
Secondary schools (Years 7 to 11) HK$149,600
Secondary schools (Years 12 to 13) HK$194,200

So 90% of the base rate, and then don't you pay tax on allowances? Say late secondary, as most kids end up there, you are out of pocket at least HK80000 per year. A bit different (ignoring the tax effect) from your 30-40k hkd.

Oh and how is the HKD500,000 debenture being funded? Same way as the 2 months rent deposit and the 1st months rent in advance and the savings for the provisional tax bill? It really is a hard slog financially if you have school kids.

Is there a reason they aren't advertising salary/housing allowances/roster patterns?

Just sayin'..

... still relying on that very old (and no longer accurate) reputation of theirs CX is. There is a reason they don't advertise those numbers... because they don't support a decent lifestyle in HK, especially if you have a family. It will be a true struggle to support a wife and kids on the CX package. Any talk to the contrary is just malarkey.

cxorcist, like Yoda you sound :}

STP

Any American applying should be warned that the IRS sees housing and education allowances as taxable income. Do the math on that one and tell me how attractive that 90% with the paultry housing scheme works out.

Hong Kong basing for an American is a terrible deal these days, even for those of us with full expat terms. Be warned.

There's a pretty simple solution.

Those who actually are considering this actually ask one of the regular foiks who work here. Ask them where we've been, where we are, and where it seems we are going. Ask if they'd recommend the job in HK. Ask how their family life is and if they are happy. Ask a few foiks if you like.

While you do this; be sure and put away any preconceived notions or marketing inputs. Be objective.

Don't think it will take long for you to form an objective decision.

The only "pilots" I would recommend CX to are zero (or near zero) time cadets for the SO position in HK. If CX ever resumes hiring DEFO onto bases, I would recommend that as well with the following caveats:

What are your other options???

Make sure you are OK going to HK for your command...

Btw, command is probably 12-15 years off.

....and that is if you survive the 40 -50% failure rate on the command course. Then you can probably look forward to a career as a permanently underpaid FO :eek:

Travel perks
 

Its not only cathay staff travel that sucks. This lot even made BBC news http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36985168
The link works if you cut and paste sorry i cant make it a proper hyperlink

UNIFO-----no BA probably doesn't reimburse their crew for Education of their children in England. Neither does CX for any of their based Pilots.....Why? Because those Pilots living away from their home country relocating their families to HK get EXPAT allowances to help with the high cost etc....

Thank you guys for your information. I have just applied,but I didn't know nothing about CX. I Remembered it was one of the best company in the world,but somethings change. I have a wife and daughter and maybe is better to stay where I am. Thanks

You can always go to the interview and gauge by yourself.

And if you're succesfull and not interested, tell them why.

Lot of friends of mine did just that, they were offered a job, then CX cut on the expat conditions, so they decided not to move to HK.
It didn't change anything, but I guess it could if they eventually stop finding enough suitable candidates.

If your daughter is in school age, beware. Like others have pointed out, the waiting lists are very, very long (3+ years) unless you are willing to pay 400,000HKD in debenture.

It's really sad that CX is not what it used to be.
If you want the wide body experience, QR, EY or EK are better choices.
Sure, they might not be career airlines (if your wife doesn't like the middle east) but neither is CX.
I can garantee the pollution in winter will make you sick (if not literally, at least figuratively) and want to go home.

Thanks for your information. I'll do the selection and will see. My daughter is 3 years old. Yes my wife doesn't like the Middle East but I would like to try the long haul. We will see

If she's 3, finding a kindergarten is not that difficult.
It's primary school which is very hard to get into.

Some friends couldn't get a spot for their son after he had been on the waiting list for 4 years.

If you ever decide to take the job, the first thing you need to do is enrolling your daughter in 2 or 3 different schools.

"If you ever decide to take the job, the first thing you need to do is enrolling your daughter in 2 or 3 different schools."

The second thing would be to book an assessment with a psychiatrist as you clearly would had lost your marbles to have come to CX.

micky771, the key statement you made is, "it was one of the best company in the world."

WAS.

Also, please think about your 3-year-old daughter's lungs. If you bring her here to breathe this polluted air, full of submicron pollutants, metal salts, heavy metals and who knows what else, you're sentencing her to an early death from lung disease, mesothelioma or cancer.

Think about that. Having children in Hong Kong is akin to child abuse.

True story: My son was born in HK. At the age of two, he began to develop a rash over 50+% of his body. No one in HK had a clue. Visited a specialist in the UK, who tested extensively. They found that he was suffering from a serious airborne 'heavy metal' based skin infection, contracted through his lungs. I moved the family back to Europe and it cleared up within 3 months. Now however he suffers from psoriasis, which I am certain is a result of that early infection. For info, there is no history of psoriasis in our family. Bring your young children here at your peril (or theirs!). It is NOT worth it in any way. You will live poorly, your children will suffer and your wife will be miserable beyond imagine. :ugh:

I'm sorry what append at your son and thank you for your suggestion.
Thank everybody guys

Excuse me guys the last question. Is possible to commute in CX from Europe?

Europe would be very difficult even if you were on the 777. Remember you will either be put on the 330 or 747 which pretty much removes commuting as a possibility

Be careful coming for the interview to guage for yourself, during mine I was told everything and anything to make it seem like cathay was the perfect choice; basings, medical cover etc