Why Cathay
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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Why Cathay
hi all, could anyone tell me what is so good about Cathay Pacific? why do most pilots that I asked want to work for Cathay eventually?
Join Date: Mar 1999
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Because in the '60s and '70s it was the best job in the world bar none. And I guess that past glamour still carries some weight with people who are on the outside of the industry without much knowledge, who want to get in. All that past pomp and circumstance is pretty much gone now, except in the minds of the last few old-school "A" scalers in the training department who still think Cathay invented aviation and Chuck Yeager should be grateful for a CX SO job.
These days it looks to me like it's just another Chinese airline, with a sub standard T&C package, 20+ years to command, Maoist industrial relations, and HK is a filthy polluted expensive over crowded mega-factory city.
Horses for courses, and yes of course you'd be crazy not to take it if you were a minimum-wage turboprop jockey and young enough to not mind the 2-decades-in-the-right-seat thing. However if you already have decent jet time from elsewhere, then I really really can't see the CX attraction any more.
These days it looks to me like it's just another Chinese airline, with a sub standard T&C package, 20+ years to command, Maoist industrial relations, and HK is a filthy polluted expensive over crowded mega-factory city.
Horses for courses, and yes of course you'd be crazy not to take it if you were a minimum-wage turboprop jockey and young enough to not mind the 2-decades-in-the-right-seat thing. However if you already have decent jet time from elsewhere, then I really really can't see the CX attraction any more.
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I suppose the Cathay Pacific Cadet Programme must have something to do with it. A very rare type of scheme nowadays. Although I am not sure if they are currently running any new courses, last time I checked you could still apply.
I think it would be a great start to any airline career, that is if you can put up with relocating to HK and living a very different lifestyle (presuming the candidate is from Europe/USA). Spend 2-3 years (or so) as a SO cruise pilot (which if you haven't had a previous airline job means you don't know what you are missing out on and will be grateful for the job), move on to FO spend apparently 20 years waiting to become Captain (doesn't sound too good). But hey you don't have to stay for 20 years, you can just leave and join somebody else if that is what you wish (in an idealistic world).
Personally as with the previous commenter I would say if you had many hours flying jets it may not be ideal though because of the slow career progression.
P.S. I just realised that you are from China so it wouldn't be that inconvenient for you to relocate.
I think it would be a great start to any airline career, that is if you can put up with relocating to HK and living a very different lifestyle (presuming the candidate is from Europe/USA). Spend 2-3 years (or so) as a SO cruise pilot (which if you haven't had a previous airline job means you don't know what you are missing out on and will be grateful for the job), move on to FO spend apparently 20 years waiting to become Captain (doesn't sound too good). But hey you don't have to stay for 20 years, you can just leave and join somebody else if that is what you wish (in an idealistic world).
Personally as with the previous commenter I would say if you had many hours flying jets it may not be ideal though because of the slow career progression.
P.S. I just realised that you are from China so it wouldn't be that inconvenient for you to relocate.
