Hong Kong to Further Tighten Quarantine Requirements.
 

Basically, following Beijing's zero COVID strategy.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/hong-kong-further-tighten-covid-19-travel-restrictions-2268917

I mean I get it. But I don't.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202110/1236459.shtml

According to China's state media's narrative,
"The new logistics centers are aimed at boosting the intermediary trade in Hong Kong and strengthening Hong Kong' status as the international aviation hub of the GBA."

Also,

"Chan also said that the Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AA) is actively developing a multi-modal cargo transport service to enable seamless transfer of mainland exports through the HKIA to other parts of the world.

According to Chan, the AA is planning to set up a "Hong Kong International Airport Logistics Park" in Dongguan, where mainland exports can complete customs clearance, security checks and other procedures and be transported by sea to the cargo terminal in the restricted area of the HKIA for direct transshipment to the rest of the world. Dongguan is about 100 kilometers away from the Hong Kong airport.

Air cargo imports for the Chinese mainland can access the same channel for fast custom clearance."

That's what I don't get. Mainland would love to HKG as aviation hub to access goods in and out of China and the world. Why such insistence on covid zero unless it's the confidence in their current vaccines. Huh?

One more in Sept from the state media,

"
According to plan released by China's civil aviation regulator in 2020, the country will build a world-class airport cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA by 2025. While consolidating the international aviation hub position of Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen will also be built into international hubs. Service capacity will be upgraded at airports in Macao and Zhuhai.

Baiyun Airport will be open to over 110 international and regional destinations by 2025, Chen Xu, an official from the Guangzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission said on Tuesday during a press briefing.

The airport will also be connected with high-speed rail and expressways, so as to achieve a seamless connection between air and rail passengers, making the airport accessible to all cities in the Pearl River Delta within 60 minutes."

Status Quo will remain until AT LEAST 2023. Anyone who hopes otherwise is delusional.

DB freighter pilot +ve?
https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/cathay-pa...-for-covid-19/

Bye bye Cathay I guess the CCP pigs will make this airline sink deeper than the titanic soon

It's outdated that Carrie refers to Hong Kong as "the gateway into China", this may have been true in the 1980s but now the mainland is well connected to the rest of the world with either direct flights or one stop connections via multiple hubs both within and outside the country.

3 weeks quarantine is an absolute killer for any visitor interested in coming, it's far longer than most people would stay in the first place. Cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai aren't places where people stay very long anyway. They rely on huge numbers of people turning over quickly.

Thailand's strategy of a test on arrival and one night in an approved hotel until the result comes through would be acceptable for the vast majority of people coming in, even those only staying for the weekend.

Sinovac has similar protection to other vaccines in preventing serious illness but is way behind in stopping people from getting infected.

A zero COVID strategy with a less effective vaccine isn't going to work while other countries have more effective vaccines and are preparing to live with the virus while they open upon.

Australia to be put on 21 days soon too. Those returning from SLV better book 21 days just incase. No rush though, you'll be promised a roster but after forcing you back to HKG they'll surprise you with 31 G's

Just curious, what is the LOGIC behind covid zero strategy??
When the whole world starts living with the virus like normal flu, and then what? They gonna suddenly open up one day and let the country go through multiple waves of covid when the rest of the world already has natural and vaccinated immunity? Like what is the logic? Can someone explain?

As much a logically minded person desires to see some logic, there is no discernible logic behind any of the jumping at shadows based decision making.
The only logical conclusion is that HKG has been hit by an Alien stupid ray gun, with the intensity set to MAX.

ToCatLady

Is this your opinion or have you read this somewhere?

Look at what Macau has for your answer to that. We are heading in that direction and they have 21 days for everywhere.

Logic? Since when has there been logic under red regime, let alone Covid-induced paranoid screamers? We love waiting at assigned seating in HKG, taking a long walk thru the terminal to test area, following the hand directions of the staff, waiting for crew bus for almost an hour at limousine pier (as we cannot share a 50-seat bus with other colleagues for a 3min ride to SkyCity, due to vairrruuuusssss), having all freedom taken away by self-isolating in hotel rooms with no fresh air, no gym, crappy food and best of all - risking a 3-week quarantine in this communist wonderland.
​​​​Of course no one dares to question anything or anyone as in the end, we are to follow the great leaders and their ideas.
Cheers to BA crew which we have met few days ago - "Lagos used to be a :mad: to avoid, now it's HKG".

CX2066
 

Two crew positive from 2066 FRA arriving 6th Nov. One is living in the Harbour Pinnacle TST where there is a lockdown in progress. The other lives in Headland village DB. This is not good news.

Everyone will get covid eventually, it is written in the stars.

It is like trying to stop a tsunami with you bare hands.

Hopefully CL will realise that before CPA goes under.

Fly747

Their family shipped off to jail, no judicial process, no avenue of appeal, nothing. This is life now in HK…..

I think it is good news. Sooner or later covid will be endemic everywhere. Once endemic, border controls no longer matter. The sooner we have community spread, the sooner policies will be forced to change. An outbreak will also motivate many of those stupid enough to not be vaccinated to get the shot.

Hopefully it does spread. This is the only way to kick this country into gear and have them sort something out finally. Even the leave home save app requirements should be linked to vaccines now.

HK is a disaster as far as mitigation strategies go.

Funny how someone still thinks the HK gov gets a say... the HK gov does not care about international flights or whatsoever, all they care about is opening the border with motherland.... and they will crucify the person who ruins it for them if they can.... Especially this happens like 1 or 2 days after the HK gov struck a deal with the Motherland about the conditions to open up, these guys are gonna be made an example.... so keep dream on that things will come good, the truth is the HK Gov would probably be willing to shut the entire cx operation down or make crew does 21 days if it meant the Chinese border can open

Something is stirring in the office... Not quite sure of what it is exactly but the rumours of changes happening are growing louder. The new management are being interviewed as we speak. Just head in there and you'll see someone trying their luck to be the next slippery pole climber.

If mandatory quarantine for crew picks up to the levels that China wants it to be then they won't be finding many willing candidates left. Even the sheer numbers applying to FZ were enough to ruffle a few feathers. If you are asking how they know... They have contacts who give them exactly who applied if they want it.

Rie. FZ, Fly Dubai?

Yes, flydubai. Most expats with children have worked out they would rather afford education and food rather than stick around and let their sprog turn into a tankie.

I hate to point out the elephant standing on top of you, but all those crew who tested positive where vaccinated. I know, that inconvenient thing called facts.:}

If anything, these positives might deter those holding out from getting the vaccine.

Probably a lot more positives coming up, so hopefully it gets bad enough that they give up their moronic zero COVID strategy. A bit like leaving the house on a rainy day and expect to remain 100% dry.

So closed loop for everyone? Guess the 747 wasn't the best idea!
Got the rating, get to fly the queen of the skies, then get to leave with no training bond :ok:

Everyone should be trying to get on the 747, a big cargo company in Europe are needing pilots shortly.

I'm not certain, but I don't think they need you to "sign" anything. They just announce the changes now....no contract, just company policy :hmm:

Hong Kong is now effectively the Gucci version of North Korea.

All the Euro(licensed) 747 jockeys got hired in the EU . 777 guys are now scrambling to convert their 777 ratings to 747’s. No money in freight.

When the 747 operation provides less than 20% of the company revenue on a good year, then just right now with the bleeding of cash by the pax fleet, there is no money in freight. Not enough to save the airline in it's present form anyway. COP about to drop off as freight rates drop. So basically 100+ aircraft and 1800+ crew will be idle until end of 2022. Over to you, company accountants.

01 April 1993 is the day when those days went.

gipilot

There are no attractive 747 jobs in Europe, nor did all based guys got hired. The market in Europe is terrible, 20days on for maybe a third of the money compared to HK.

That’s not quite right STW. Even on the worst EU contract I know of, a DEC working 20 days on would give a comparable income to POS18 CN1, except you live where you want, they fly you out and back so no stress, downroute you can do whatever local rules allow (remember actually stretching your legs and perhaps eating out of a plate and not a cardboard box?), and on your days off you’re not testing every two days. Your family members aren’t treated like leper contacts, nor are you running the constant risk of having your loved ones, dozens of your colleagues and perhaps your children's classmates end up in Penny’s Bay.

Don’t get me wrong, these contracts are pretty bad, but there are also better contracts out there. Between not having to pay rent in the world’s most expensive city and the sanity of day to day life, the very fact that we can even compare these :mad: contracts to our lot make you think long and hard what we’re doing here.

The worst contract right now looks to be HKE. Just saw the 2022 plan. It seems as if they won't have many pilots left after forcing them all onto leave without pay.

I wonder if this is a precursor to 21 day crew quarantine for everyone.

Main Dog, which airline in Europe offers comparable pay?

I did the math, ASL would result in 30% of what I earn now, plus the pleasure of 20 days on.

Aerologic ( 777F) same shambolic pay, albeit with slightly better roster. Expect to fly +100 hrs block(!). They still do layover in HK, I see them sitting in the mid terminal all the time. If their test is positive its Penny Bay for them as well.

Not trying to defend our employer, not all, but where are these offers you mentioned?

PS I own my place in HK, and even with school fees and higher groceries the shortfall in income is so massive, it really doesn't matter how much I save on a pint of milk.

Look, I am actually considering to just accept lower pay, HK is over for me, I just want to get out. But what I cannot accept is a roster with 20 days on, standby at a place I don't live, 3 men 16 hour days or low cost rosters from hell with 0500 am sign on and 5 sector days. Let's not paint the situation rosier at it is, there is nowhere to hide right now.

If you disagree: please name the airline you are talking of. Stop beating around the bush: where? Lets talk numbers!

You are wrong and have no idea what you’re talking about. There are jobs and I repeat ALL 747 pilots(once that were interested and have easa licenses) got hired. You talk about attractive , that’s a extremely relative word in these times. I wrote jobs, flying jobs that can pay your bills, there are enough on the 747 in Europe at this time, just make sure you have the proper license. Let’s not even talk about what’s happening in the U.S. with 747 jobs, please educate yourself of what’s going on outside the great universe you think is Hong Kong.

STW
 

If you’re on CN4 and own your own place, and your kids are gone, then yes you will still be better off financially staying in HKG, assuming you can stand the insanity. If you’re CN1/2 (or worse FO1/2), renting and with kids in school, it’s a different ballgame. In these scenarios you’re looking at spending most of your monthly income for the world’s most expensive rents and tuition, let alone food (and fuggedabout savings).

Since you bring up Aerologic, from a mate of mine joining them I do believe that’s actually a pretty decent contract, with proper benefits (ie a proper pension, Lufthansa travel benefits etc) and certainly more than shambolic pay (although they do work them hard).

You mention rosters from hell: I don’t know about yours, but mine doesn’t come out until the 27th, contains little to nothing of what I asked for, and what little there is gets taken away on day of ops. This isn’t even necessarily our employer’s fault, they need to cater to continuously changing rules and CHP’s zero-covid “strategy”.

Finally, while some airlines do still layover in HKG and risk “prison”, it’s only an occasional risk, and their families and friends won’t be involved. They only see the midfield concourse now and again, and are paid an allowance for that additional hardship (while many of us are logging more “hard white chair” time than flying time).

For us it’s a continuous sword of Damocles: at any moment your phone could ring advising that you and your loved ones are about to be carted off to PB, because you happened to position with some unlucky soul last week or unwittingly shared a taxi home with them the other day.

Good jobs are really only available in the US right now, for the rest, pick your poison depending on personal circumstances.

You are mistaken regarding Aerologic, I checked the numbers.

Pay is roughly 7000 T Euro net for a skipper. German tax is brutal. If you get a LH seat, F/O starts at half of that. That is a fact.

Pension is negligible, they only pay minimum state contributions, if you don't pay into their system for 40+ years you get almost nothing back, and it only starts at age 67 anyway.

They fly more than 100 hrs block per month, 3 men from Europe to India to Hong Kong. In one go.

There is a regular requirement for standby at the base ( within one hour availability).

I also would warn against cherry picking. Yes, you pay more for groceries and school in Hong Kong. But on the other side childcare/ cleaning etc is extremely cheap, and you don't pay for car, gas and insurance. You also have virtually no commuting costs/hotels for standby etc, no tax on capital income, rental income or dividends. Real estate in Europe is not cheap either, and the quality of the state schools heavily depend on your place of residence (aka cheap or expensive area).

Aerologic is probably the worst paying 777 job worldwide. Depending on your CN stage, homeownership, number of kids etc you would end up with one third to maybe (!) half the cx salary.

Again, not trying to defend Cx, but those are the facts.

Rie

Its 9 months unpaid "voluntary" ! Wonder how they look at you if you dont volunteer !

STW, the fact that you don't know about the 747 jobs in Europe that are indeed interestingly financially, with an exciting future, and certainly better than POS18, says more about you than it does about the jobs themselves.

They are 'by invitation only', based on internal recommendation, and cherry picking Cathay pilots by the bushel load. So indeed, you have probably never heard of them. Good luck with that! Maybe you have ruffled a few feathers in your time.

VIP invitation-only secret jobs for a small circle of elite Cathay pilots, hahahahaha, brilliant !

Hahaha another Clog classic.

€8k a month as a truck driver on these secret handshake gigs, so I assume the 747 freemasonry must be big leagues.