CX SO: All you need to know
Join Date: Jul 2008
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To bigjetflyer
Most people at Cx probably don't regret joining.
But there is only ONE reason for that. They have been able to make up for the constantly deteriorating payscale and lack of pension by using their housing allowances to buy property. The $$ many have made this way also compensates for the extremely long times to captain upgrade FO's are now facing.
You or anyone joining now will never be able to do that.
CX is quite a pleasant working environment. It's not about whether we like flying here or not. Most do. It's purely about the sacrifices you will have to make financially and In Lifestyle.
This has been said so many times. HKG as an overcrowded polluted place is ONLY worth it if you get rewarded for coming here.
Most people at Cx probably don't regret joining.
But there is only ONE reason for that. They have been able to make up for the constantly deteriorating payscale and lack of pension by using their housing allowances to buy property. The $$ many have made this way also compensates for the extremely long times to captain upgrade FO's are now facing.
You or anyone joining now will never be able to do that.
CX is quite a pleasant working environment. It's not about whether we like flying here or not. Most do. It's purely about the sacrifices you will have to make financially and In Lifestyle.
This has been said so many times. HKG as an overcrowded polluted place is ONLY worth it if you get rewarded for coming here.
Join Date: Oct 2008
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CX SO
Did stage one interview yesterday and I thought it went pretty good. I also have a friend there and he makes it sound much better than most of the posts on here do. I've asked him about all the negative things on here that people have brought up and from someone on the inside he explained how things really work in more detail than I have been able to find online. I'm pretty excited about the possibilities.
Join Date: Mar 2012
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It is unfortunate that some of the CX pilots find Hong Kong as an overcrowded and polluted city when they were not aware of the fact that every big city in Asia will always be overcrowded and polluted. So that is a sign of not doing proper research on their part before joining the airline.
What does that mean? If you get paid extremely well by Cathay Pacific, you're willing to move on and ignore the fact that Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated and polluted cities??
I'm just getting to know more about this as I would love to work for this airline. I met two second officers, one from New Zealand and another from south africa who are enjoying every bit of it at cathay pacific. They became second officers in early 2011. And I didn't hear them whine about the lifestyle and the airline.
What does that mean? If you get paid extremely well by Cathay Pacific, you're willing to move on and ignore the fact that Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated and polluted cities??
I'm just getting to know more about this as I would love to work for this airline. I met two second officers, one from New Zealand and another from south africa who are enjoying every bit of it at cathay pacific. They became second officers in early 2011. And I didn't hear them whine about the lifestyle and the airline.
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I'm just getting to know more about this as I would love to work for this airline. I met two second officers, one from New Zealand and another from south africa who are enjoying every bit of it at cathay pacific. They became second officers in early 2011. And I didn't hear them whine about the lifestyle and the airline.
What do you think happened to us all?
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The problem is the pollution gets worse every year. Research that.
They've only been here 5 minutes. Of course they love it. The rose coloured glasses are still firmly in place. The Shiny Jet Syndrome hasn't worn off yet. Give it a few more years, with families, mortgages, bills, divorces etc on the crappy package they are on, and they will be whining louder than the guys who have been here for awhile.
something they could handle
of course the pollution was a concern. But something they could handle
Air pollution and children’s respiratory health
The Health Effects of Air Pollution on Children
Pollution harms developing lungs - stunted development
"Just so you know" .... as they say in the US
I guess as long as he's educated himself as to the trade off
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Interesting thoughts Daniel. And as per the thousands of posts on the topic, you and the overwhelming majority of CX cadet hopefuls completely disregard the LONG TERM realities of the decisions you think you are making correctly now.
Your iCadet SO mate who is married with the 5 year old kid.... When was his deep seeded "passion" for aviation realised? Did it come via the lowering of standards and requirements that CX now need to do attract applicants (since those with the experience & runs on the board that were previously sort after refuse to work for such an insulting offer)? Is your mate able to "enjoy" this iCadet lifestyle that this remuneration package has to offer because his wife has a well paid job or that he was once one of these bankers / lawyers / other professional with money well saved up that allows him to "afford" this remuneration package? Such pilots (loose term) "passion" is only present because they can "afford" it. Nothing more, nothing less. If none of these points are accurate then for him to live on a continually depreciating income package with a wife, 5 year old all on a single income of approximately $45k HKD per month (year 1, but worth less in year 2 if the rental market increases of course!!) then there is NO WAY he can live comfortably and even hope to retire securely. In fact I believe it damn irresponsible to bring a wife and 5 year old to HK on such a employment contract.
Once the Shiny Jet Syndrome wears off and the life of a CX iCadet SO truly kicks in (a 3-5 year period....) then that is the reality.
So, what of the Middle East, of other jobs in Oz, NZ, Europe you say? OK...do you understand the term "SENIORITY" and it's implications on an airline pilot's career - as it should? Well, to those of us who respect it as a sanctity of our careers. And then , what of contract jobs? They are or can be well paid BUT they come at a cost of job security, career progression and not to mention quite large personal & family lifestyle sacrifices.
Guys like me worked our ar$es off for years to gain the experience for the dream of getting into CX. I was offered the job but then they turned around and offered this insulting C-Scale so most of those in my pool flat out rejected it: all but one I am told. That took 3.5 years for CX to come back to me after my initial letter of congratulations and on this forum kids moan and complain that CX don't get back to them within a week or month!!! What a joke. It reeks of their immaturity. Others just as determined to and just as if not more experienced than me joined before me on B-Scale, obviously. They realised their dream and the fruits of their efforts to get where they prayed to one day be.
So, with this in mind, do you think they then turn around complain easily about the company they (we) worked so hard to get into? Or, maybe there is some truth in the way CX treats it's pilots, how CX treats the black and white of a signed contract, and of the direction this C-Scale implies to the future direction of their contracts....!!! Once again, these are all LONG TERM affects of and histories of the job and CX that all to many of you are wilfully ignorant to. You only choose to see the issues that vilify your want to join CX, and refuse the realities that are offered to you from those with the experience and knowledge of CX.
Your iCadet SO mate who is married with the 5 year old kid.... When was his deep seeded "passion" for aviation realised? Did it come via the lowering of standards and requirements that CX now need to do attract applicants (since those with the experience & runs on the board that were previously sort after refuse to work for such an insulting offer)? Is your mate able to "enjoy" this iCadet lifestyle that this remuneration package has to offer because his wife has a well paid job or that he was once one of these bankers / lawyers / other professional with money well saved up that allows him to "afford" this remuneration package? Such pilots (loose term) "passion" is only present because they can "afford" it. Nothing more, nothing less. If none of these points are accurate then for him to live on a continually depreciating income package with a wife, 5 year old all on a single income of approximately $45k HKD per month (year 1, but worth less in year 2 if the rental market increases of course!!) then there is NO WAY he can live comfortably and even hope to retire securely. In fact I believe it damn irresponsible to bring a wife and 5 year old to HK on such a employment contract.
Once the Shiny Jet Syndrome wears off and the life of a CX iCadet SO truly kicks in (a 3-5 year period....) then that is the reality.
So, what of the Middle East, of other jobs in Oz, NZ, Europe you say? OK...do you understand the term "SENIORITY" and it's implications on an airline pilot's career - as it should? Well, to those of us who respect it as a sanctity of our careers. And then , what of contract jobs? They are or can be well paid BUT they come at a cost of job security, career progression and not to mention quite large personal & family lifestyle sacrifices.
Guys like me worked our ar$es off for years to gain the experience for the dream of getting into CX. I was offered the job but then they turned around and offered this insulting C-Scale so most of those in my pool flat out rejected it: all but one I am told. That took 3.5 years for CX to come back to me after my initial letter of congratulations and on this forum kids moan and complain that CX don't get back to them within a week or month!!! What a joke. It reeks of their immaturity. Others just as determined to and just as if not more experienced than me joined before me on B-Scale, obviously. They realised their dream and the fruits of their efforts to get where they prayed to one day be.
So, with this in mind, do you think they then turn around complain easily about the company they (we) worked so hard to get into? Or, maybe there is some truth in the way CX treats it's pilots, how CX treats the black and white of a signed contract, and of the direction this C-Scale implies to the future direction of their contracts....!!! Once again, these are all LONG TERM affects of and histories of the job and CX that all to many of you are wilfully ignorant to. You only choose to see the issues that vilify your want to join CX, and refuse the realities that are offered to you from those with the experience and knowledge of CX.
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Great write up, very accurate. I must say I had a bit of a laugh !
I honestly can't understand why anyone who has done their homework would even consider this job !
I honestly can't understand why anyone who has done their homework would even consider this job !
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The guys from South Africa and New Zealand really don't have much to choose from in their home countries....So if CX comes knocking who would say no ?
SAA an Air NZ definitely have better payscales than CX. That can be assured.
SAA an Air NZ definitely have better payscales than CX. That can be assured.
Last edited by Ghost_Rider737; 2nd Oct 2012 at 14:07.
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Ghost rider 737
You are, as far as I remember, flying at SAA. May I remind you that yesterday you have been, once again, bailed out by the SA taxpayer.
R5 billion to be exact.
How do you explain away your taxpayer funded salary compared to CX ?
Are you complaining or braging here on this forum ?
You are, as far as I remember, flying at SAA. May I remind you that yesterday you have been, once again, bailed out by the SA taxpayer.
R5 billion to be exact.
How do you explain away your taxpayer funded salary compared to CX ?
Are you complaining or braging here on this forum ?
Last edited by Nirak; 3rd Oct 2012 at 08:19.