Food for Thought
 

Usually CX Management are in first to publish information in the media regarding upcoming industrial action. I notice that after this weeks events there has been no press release so far. Could this be that they realise just how damaging the news is going to be, when travel agents start rebooking passengers onto other airlines to avoid disruption on July 1st ? As it was put to us : With China competing for the 2008 Olympics, any adverse publicity about the HK Flag carrier will draw attention straight from the government. With any political involvement it should also draw the attention of Swires, who will not be keen to have their name tarnished.

To date they have been content to let sleeping dogs lie, as long as there is no major impact on earnings. This change of tact will leave them in no doubt as to the seriousness of the implications, should this next move be left unchecked.

Yes very true RP. I think the way forward now is along a quite different line.It was interesting hearing about tactics that were in the past very predictable.

I also wondered whether Management would go to the press with this one. They may take a little more time to make sure that their PR company do an extra good job here.

Their advisors (puppeteers) will now be considering all forms of retaliation.If it reflects badly on them I think we can expect to see some desparate moves in the near future. Dismissals for trivial things were mentioned, although they can only afford to do that once or twice. Also a new contract in our mailboxes would seem an obvious move too. The other usual move is to get wetleased aircraft on standby. I for one would love to see this happen. It is very expensive to do, and if the action does not go ahead (who knows) it is still ....very expensive to do. I guess also they will be concerned about the availability of suitably rested crews to operate the late night courier contracts. There are heavy financial penalties for late arrivals on those.They must be keen to ensure that the crew fatigue level does not rise to high over the next few months.

In the near future when this does become public news I think the biggest effect will be a pax move to other carriers for the short term. As pointed out, the power control tactics by Management may then well be overridden by the HK governments' desire to see the airline maintain it's clean image.

What clean image?

Yeah fair point !!!