You found one apartment for $24k. An outlier of the average cost of rent in DB, when in reality the average cost is $30 per square foot. Let’s stick to actual averages instead of going to the lowest possible expense and declaring it as a true representation of the market.

In your experience how much do you think it will cost per annum to live in Hong Kong?

My numbers are correct. This is an actual recent lease, it is public information. Anyone can check for himself.

Tung Chung is even cheaper:
https://www.midland.com.hk/en/transaction/New-Territories-Tung-Chung-Tung-Chung-Crescent-I20230600506

But as I said from the beginning, for the sake of the argument let's assume your numbers are correct, where is it better? Show me the same calculation with an entry level pay and demonstrate how much more you can save.That is all I am asking you.

To make it clear, my claim is not that Cathay is good, but that it is even worse elsewhere.

I know public information, so is the fact that DB is at $30 per sq ft. Check the history on Centradata website and the average cost is as I stated. I’m still waiting for a break down the cost of living in Hong Kong.

Again, I can’t speak for the US/M.E/Aus/EU as I have not resided in those countries to know what type of savings I’m expecting to make VS Hong Kong

You allegedly left Hong Kong but you don't know the conditions elsewhere. Interesting.

Sad. There was a time when CX pilots could afford something more like this: https://www.midland.com.hk/en/proper...use-M101017008

How times change, and not for the better.

Very Interesting Indeed

Buzzbox:

How times have changed - when I joined in 1989, Cathay paid for the 3000 sq ft HOUSE across the road from this!

Thanks for all the positivity guys. I suggest those unhappy with current conditions at cx take their own advice and look elsewhere. You might be a little less miserable in life.

I was referring to the ex-KA pilot, now CX manager, at the roadshow. No ill-feelings but if you had any close friends or colleagues at KA, it would take considerable showmanship to sell this deal.

The misery at CX for many is very real. I’ve been taken back by the level it seems to have reached. I’ve witnessed chat groups and meeting folks in person, it’s quite sad. I bumped into a few 777 guys and they were complaining about only getting 8 days off. This doesn’t sound right but that’s one of many gripes they had.

CX is no longer the golden hand-cuffs of old, however many pilots still seem to be hand-cuffed in a misery that no longer pays. This is the fate of a lot of pilots in our industry and generally they live in their home countries surrounded by friends and family. Hating your job isn’t uncommon, but hating Hong Kong as well and not being afforded a lifestyle will take its toll. Take a closer look at the options out there. Throw in bad health or a failed marriage and this whole CX debacle could ruin your life completely.

Most of us that do hang around here have long since left. We’re just making sure those that do some research on their new potential employer are aware of the kind that they really are. No misery implied…

LOL so ill health and a divorce but the choice of one’s employer is to blame for ruining their life..?

I think that is a high probability when you signed up for something, left your home and then had the rug pulled out from under you with a new employment term that left you with little option but to eat it... So I would say that CX can well and truly can be to blame.

CX pilot wives were well known Tai Tai's in days gone by, so you don't think it ruined the spouses as well?

yes true, I guess it’s ruined the lives of their spouses children and grand children and great grand children too, plus all the children’s and grand children’s spouses too… nothing to do with the illness or divorce

Some will hate Cathay and Hong Kong no matter what and some will love Cathay and Hong Kong no matter what. All you have to do is go back through this forum before CoS18 was imposed and you will see the same hatred/praise then as you do now.

Write down the pros and cons of CX and HK and see if it works for you. For some, it will work and for some, it won't. Only you can decide.

The most important thing is that amongst all of the arguing that goes on here is, there's a lot of good advice given on both sides of the fence. The key is sifting through it all, extracting the correct information and then make a decision. One fundamental fact is that things are very different over there now.

And what if you wanted to actually send your kids to school?

It wasn’t a difficult point to understand. A whole bunch of miserable and unhappy people at Cathay, who aren’t in a position to, or are unwilling to brave the change, may think the situation can’t get worse. This negativity will eventually fail health and marriages.

When morale was this low in the CX & KA days, at least you had amazing holiday and sick leave schemes which offered respite and sanity. Coupled with good money and the scenario was fairly labelled the golden handcuffs.

A very balanced post.
Basically the two buckets principle !

Except there is no more gold to fill up the bucket in HKG; particularly for pilots

Not as much before I agree but here in the US the moneys not as good as y'all think. I did 21 years in CX, was mostly 777 then went to the 747. Many of us left and came to the US to a 747 operator and had to go right seat. We were promised commands again within a couple of years and some good $$, so I took the shot and went for it. But that was hogwash as commands have not materialized, we are still FO's and the pay is not what we were promised. Some have gone back to CX but had to go back on the 747 which some of us refuse to do. I have read other posts where CX want a lot of folks on the 777 but is forcing previous guys and gals back to the over-crewed 747 fleet. It may not be fair to other pilots, but when was CX ever fair? It's a good idea in an ideal world, but does Cathay want to expand the airline or not?

Are you able to apply to the US majors? From all accounts I've heard, of those that have gone to the big three are quite happy. I don't know anyone leaving those jobs to come back? Maybe that isn't true, but correct me if I'm wrong.