Cathay Pacific info please
 

Can any expats advise/provide some kind info on the Cathay experience? Currently, I'm a captain in a regional airline in the US, flying those CRJs. I'm interested in Cathay, and I'm about to send in my application. Can someone tell me:
What is first year Second Officer Pay?
Do they allow/restrict/dislike pilots who commute home to other countries?
Do they allow cockpit jumpseating?
How's the pilot morale?
Is Cathay financially safe with all the low cost carriers growing in Asia?
Has your experience been positive?
Do the pilots dislike the yanks coming over there?
Thanks!

I think this would be better off in the Fragrant Harbour forum.

What is first year Second Officer Pay?
Year 1 $32,000HKD per month
Year 2 $36,0000HKD
Year 3 $40,0000HKD
Plus about $2000HKD per month flight pay
Tax is approx 15% of that.
If your HK based then every December you will normally get what is known as the 13th month - Double salary!

You will also get a housing allowance but you will use all of that if you stay here - If you rent/Buy you will get $24,000HKD per month

Also bear in mind that if you go to Cathay you may well do up to 4 years as an SO with literally NO hands on flying.

Do they allow/restrict/dislike pilots who commute home to other countries?

Not that I know of, lot's of people do it. Just don't miss your flight back because then you WILL be in trouble

Do they allow cockpit jumpseating?
Yes as long as your CX staff or immediate family - It's not free, you use an ID ticket!

How's the pilot morale?
Better than it was previously

Is Cathay financially safe with all the low cost carriers growing in Asia?
Is any airline safe? Cathay has huge cash reserves and is expanding in a serious way - I don't think this will harm them but I don't have a crystal ball!

Has your experience been positive?
:hmm:


Do the pilots dislike the yanks coming over there?
There are quite a few of you here and they all seem happy

Thanks for the reply
 

Hi, thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. Just for some clarification, but family members and pilots can actually access the pilot/cockpit jumpseat if the cabin is full?

What do you mean about every 13th month the salary doubles? You mean that 32,000HKD times 12 months is doubled at the end of the year?

How many average days off a month are built into a schedule? Do you bid for schedules or have a type of preferential bidding system there?

I'll check out the fragrant harbour forum next time, thanks!

ciao everybody,
very usefull info....

+2000 flight pay u mean....days of duty? total of per diem in month?



24000/monthly for house???? is pretty much! is not 2400? how much cost a normal pilot house in hgk? im scary....or WOW!

housing
 

there are 3 options for housing: 1. 14,000 cash which you can use at your discretion (but you will pay a 15% HK tax on at the end of the year) 2. 19,000 lease option which you can get if Cathay pays your lease directly to your landlord or 3. approx 24,000-26,000 toward your mortgage payment if you purchase a flat. These are all in HOng KOng dollars which is approx 7.8 per US dollar and less to the euro. Housing is affordable in some places and extremely expensive in others, just as any other major city. Oh, by the way after your second year as a SO, the housing allowance nearly doubles, making it muuuuuuuuuuch easier to get by comfortably. Good luck

Dr Pepper,

Housing as stated above depends on where you want to live. But believe me, you will use most if not all of your allowance as a SO.

Discovery Bay: 3 bedroom unit (1000 sq ft) in something reasonably new (<4 yrs old) will cost approx 14,000 to 20,000 per month. Depends on what floor you are on as well.

On HK Island, for the same size, you might pay 25,000 per month. This is above your allowance and you'll have to add money yourself.

You can of course look around and find slightly older places, no view, but still within the price range.

WP

Could you guys also add some clarity to this for me. I start at the end of this year, and am curious if CX will pay for our house in the states as well? I've heard from a few people that they will also pay for housing in your country of domicile? This info would be a huge help.

box

boxjockey

In answer to your question, no.

Just wondering how much would one pay for a modest flat (~50sqm) in let´s say something not very central/popular? Perhaps in the New Territories or Lantau? And can one easily commute with public transport to the airport or is a car necessary to get to work?

right....and how pilot organize about car?
i suppose u need need buy one, right?