QOL at Cathay Cargo

[J32drivr]

Hey there everyone,
Brand new to this forum, and I want to start by saying thanks to all of you for posting a lot of good info here, including all the interview gouge.
I'm currently studying for a Feb.13th interview for DEFO (cargo) here in the US. I have a couple of questions though about QOL at Cathay that I have'nt been able to find anywhere and I was hoping someone could shed some light.

1. What are the trips like? Two weeks on, two weeks off? 7 on 7 off? etc...If you are "gone" for two weeks are you out of the country the whole time or do you come back, sit for a day or so, and then go back out (I have some friends at Gemini and World that do this)

2. Medical Bennies-How are they? Is there copay, how much, etc...

3. Travel bennies-My wife and I love to travel, and this would be one of the big perks, especially once we make the eventual move to HK. Is employee travel limited? is it free or do you have to pay? Can you get First/Business Class? (I heard somewhere you might be restricted to coach)

4. Basing-will I find out my base before I get hired or after training? Do I get to choose or am I assigned?

5. Lastly, training pay-what do you get while in training? I need to make sure I'll at least be able to pay the mortgage, you know?

Thanks for any info you can give,
Fly Safe!!!

[flyrjs]

Re: QOL at Cathay Cargo

Hey J32driver See ya in NYC on the 13th! Decided which hotel is the better one yet?

I'd like more knowledge about your listed issues as well.


Good luck!!

[J32drivr]

Re: QOL at Cathay Cargo

Not sure where we're staying yet. I might just catch a flight back home on JB after the interview, or my wife and I might stay the night in NYC and go out. Just out curiousity, I see you live in Cinci, do you fly for Comair? I'm ex-Indy , but my wife's a Comair FA based in JFK, so maybe we've crossed paths. Keep in touch, maybe we'll meet up and grab a pint afterwards.

[flyrjs]

Re: QOL at Cathay Cargo

I might need 3 pints after this is all done!

Yes, I do currently fly for Comair. I get to JFK once n a while. On the 70 though so it's usually BUF,CLE,ATL,ROC and that's about it

[volare_737]

Good luck !!!

Good luck guys with your interviews !!!! I have not applied at Cathay – just would like to know what experience you guys got. Like hours, type , age and so on.
All the best again.
Thanks

[flyrjs]

5,340 TT
ATP
CL-65 Type
2250 Jet PIC
Age 40

You can'y get an interview if you don't apply. Worst that can happen is they say no.

Good Luck

[volare_737]

Thanks

Thanks
I am busy filling in the form !!!!!
Maybe there is a change !!!!!!!!! Would love to be based in Europe.
I got 8000 h total. 500 H PIC Mid Jet, 3000 H F/O 737 - 200/300/400 the rest all basic turbo props. Who knows ??????????????????
Would be nice !!!

[Sqwak7700]

Hey J32. I'lltake a stab at your questions.

1) My roster this month has 2 trips on it. Both trips are just about identical. LAX-SFO-ANC, spend the night there, then ANC-HKG. Spend 24 hours there, then HKG-ANC, spend 32 hours there, then ANC LAX. My first pattern takes about 5 days and the 2nd takes 4 because I position straight home to LAX after I get to ANC ( I stay on the flight, it continues to LAX from HKG). That leaves 21 days off for the month, some of those are "O" days, which could become work if I get extended. I also have 2 "A" days, which are availability days. We don't have reserve lines, so everybody shares the load. (I don't miss being a reserve bottom feeder with my previous company, that's for sure )

2. Medical benefits are great. Fully paid for, for you and your family, 24/7, anywhere in the world. CX really shines in this area in my opinion. The only thing missing is dental, which is not provided. It works great in Asia because dental is much cheaper there. But your medical and prescriptions are fully paid for, no copay, no deductible.

3. Travel, check out Fragrant Harbour forum, there is a post on travel there. No sense in repeating my thoughts on that subject here.

4. Basing is determined before you start. They will call you and tell you what is available. I believe the only bases closed right now are Chicago and Atlanta. NY, LA, and ANC are both open right now. You can also change your basing once you start if you change your mind and it is open. You can change your base as many times as you want, in fact. As long as it is north America.

5. Pay while in training is very good. You get your basic monthly salary, prorated if you arrive other than at the begining of the month, and you get overnight allowance while in HK. This is 100% to start out, then decreases to 80% after a certain period which I can't recall. The allowance is great. You get an envelope every Friday (and when you check in) with local currency. I spent like it was going out of style and still had money left over at the end of the week, so I didn't even touch my salary. Then again, I was living at the headland, so I didn't have any mortgages or rents to pay.

Hope it helps, and best of luck on the interview.

[jtr]

"2. Medical benefits are great. Fully paid for, for you and your family, 24/7, anywhere in the world. CX really shines in this area in my opinion. The only thing missing is dental, which is not provided. It works great in Asia because dental is much cheaper there. But your medical and prescriptions are fully paid for, no copay, no deductible."



Pretty sure you will find it is not "anywhere in the world" for family members.

[Sqwak7700]

Yeah, you are correct. I think the benefits cover the family worldwide for emergencies, but other care has to be done in domicile for family members.

Sorry about that.

Sq

[rogerover]

Hey guys,

Been in the forum a bunch of times but my first post. Really appreciate everyone's effort in helping each other out. Still waiting for my interview date with CX. How did the interview go for "flyrjs" and "j32driver"? When did you guys get the call for the interview if I may ask. Thanks.

[J32drivr]

For Volare 737, here's my quals;
5000+ total time
2200 Turbine Pic
3800 Turbine
CL-65, Do328Jet types
age 27
Put my stuff in Jan. 2005, Got the call Jan. 7th 2006 (the day Indy closed shop-scary huh?) I do know some guys that got calls for March that have only had their stuff in since last fall though.

For everyone else:
Did the interview last monday in NY. Gotta say that the most stressful part was getting there after the Nor'easter. Definetely not what I needed. The two interviewers made me feel really comfortable though. Felt really good coming out of the interview, but we'll find out next week when we get the results. A lot of the HR ones were very specific to my background. It was more a "test of my convictions" than anything else; looking for consistency in one's answers and integrety.