Cathay Pacific Q's

[Bjammin]

There is a little anti-Americaism for sure, but if you look at the process we use to get an ATP and the process they have to go through, I can understand it a little. However, we just had a North American guy upgrade to the left seat of the 744 after being here for less then 2 years. I fly with American captains all the time, some in their early thirties. I don't know of too many airlines where the captain of a 744 flying across the Pacific is 32 years old.

And to be truthful, alot of American guys come to Cathay with a 'tude. It's NOT an American airline, but if you like to work for an airline that makes tonns of cash, has an extreamly bright future, is expanding BIG TIME, and has very good pay, benefits, time off, and six weeks of vacation a year as a newhire then Cathay is worth a look.

They took me, a guy that never has flown an airliner before, no glass, autopilot, or FMS experience, and all single pilot time and got me through training. Let's just say I had some MAJOR difficulties, but they worked with me every step of the way. They gave me all the practice I needed, time off in training, extra IOE, and were extreamly helpful and considerate. Now i'm right seat with a type rating on the 744 out of LAX.

I feel like I have more loyalty then most, but rightly so. I will be here very happily for life.

 

[landlover]

bjammin were you hired as an FO or as an SO? I'd really like to work at Cathay, should I hold out till I meet the FO mins(might be 2 years from now) or try to get hired as an SO?

 

[⌐ FLYER]

"we just had a North American guy upgrade"

Is this your code word for a Canadian?

Also, like I said many things I've heard about CP sound great and I wish you good luck and hope you'll like it there 5 and 10 years down the road.

 

[ACT700]

At least the anti-american attitude or deal, or whatever you want to call it, is a known fact.
So going into it you know you have that against you. Again, like any aviation job any where in the world: IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT- DON'T DO IT!

People (Pilots, myself included) sometimes forget that nobody is putting a gun to our heads to work for a particular company.
This career is what you make of it.
I, for one, am quite content with the given conditions. I'm willing to give it a shot. Hopefully it all works out in the long run.

 

[Bjammin]

I was hired as an FO.

I have about the least amount of experience of an FO I know to have been interviewed let alone hired.

As yes, the guy that upgraded was a Canadian.

 

[vtwin]

And to be truthful, alot of American guys come to Cathay with a 'tude.

I disagree. Most of us came with great attitudes which have been slowly and in some cases suddenly dismantled by the checking department that runs this airline with impunity

A lot of American pilots with backgrounds at legacy carriers are looking at a returning when recalled and are trying to got to UPS or FEDEX.
CX is totally different than US domestic airlines and not for everybody.

 

[Airbusdrvr]

Anything you know about airlines does not apply at CX!
with the 20 guys who joined around my time only 1 has been assessed suitable for command training first go. the other 19.
4 fired at different stages of their careers for different reason
8 resigned, 2 because they were not going to upgrade ever!
2 failed command courses
1 command taken away
4 assessed not yet suitable for training
How do you like those numbers?

 

[Brown Cow]

Airbusdrvr..........those numbers are horrible. Had a look at the salaries, too. They are just as horrible. To be a lifetime FO and make $8600/month. Now that's a recipe for suicide.

 

[ACT700]

Why are people under the impression that they are badly wanted? I'm sure Cathay will survive without you!
That's the way they do things-deal with it. No one's putting a gun to your head to apply/work there.

The good thing is, IMHO, that it is a known fact-unlike some companies that dangle the golden carrot and feed you bull$hit until you get in.
At least with them you know what you're up against from the beginning.

 

[Bjammin]

I may be stuppid or something, but when I look at my schedule, the pay, and my base I think have it very good.

Jan schedule - 1, 5 day trip at the end of the month and 4 days reserve.

Pay - over $7000 take home as a 2nd year FO

Base - LAX and live in San Diego and can stay there FOREVER!!!

Training department - gave me all the breaks and help I needed to go from a single seat, no glass, no autopilot guy with 2800 hours to 747-400 FO. It was not the horror story people talk about, but actually a very good experience.

It's all about attitude. Guys with bad ones dissappear, guys with good ones have a great quality of life.

Maybe it's just me, but I truly like it here.

 

[Brown Cow]

Bjammin! A formidable website lists the 2nd year pay at $5290. How is it that you make $1700 more per month and pay no taxes. If you are working 9 days per month, then you make more than UAL Captains did before 9-11. There are a lot of people who would like to get on with that outfit and you are telling them lies. By the way "stupid" is spelled with one "p".

We all know you love working for Cathay, you tell us all the time. Now, post correct information. The reason you are at Cathay is because you did well on the interview, period. The problem most have is getting that far. Congratulations on that achievement. It is far greater than learning to fly the 74.

 

[Bjammin]

I get about $1000 us per month in per diem, plus the $4 dollar something per hour flight pay, plus the 15.5% retirement money that I take in cash and invest it myself. All this equals $7000 PLUS take home. None of this includes profit sharing.

Again, pay check after taxes is anywhere from $5900 to $6400 not including overtime then at least $1000 a month in per diem in CASH from the hotel front desks. Do you want to see pay stubs?

And I'm sorry I pressed "P" twice, MY GOD!!!!


I pride myself on giving accurate information on the company, I would NEVER steer anyone wrong and would never post something I was not sure about without a disclaimer. I have had at least 10 friends get interviews with a few being successful. These are all guys interviewing for FO with less then 3000 hours and NO airline experience.

I'm with Cathay because it is where I wanted to work. I could go with SWA or FedEx, but I truly like the oppertunities at Cathay. We have guys in their early thirties as 744 captains and temp bases all over the world as the airline is rapidly expanding.

Alot of people would not like Cathay, great, but for the ones that would I will give you my thoughts and facts, period.

 

[(o) (o)]

Pay - over $7000 take home as a 2nd year FO

that may sound like a lot of money for a 2nd year guy in post 9/11 world. But one needs to realize that it DOES NOT go up all that much from there!!

Flew with a 9 year F/O on the pax fleet the other day and he makes roughly 9,000 a month!! 9 years!!

Now, a heavy jet F/O with nearly a decade with the company pulling down 9,000 is NOT MUCH money. no matter how you look at it.

If any of you want to see the PAX payscale, send me a PM. (basically your pay will be just about as much as any RJ capt. in the states to start, goes up 500 bucks a year (monthly), expect to be S/O for 4 years).

And please, do not tell me "what about the housing allowance?". because it goes to the landlord not your own pocket. Some guys will buy property but that's an investment with certain risks involved in it.

As for training and getting fired or held back: Please click the link below:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=251242

It's a great place to come and get your heavy jet hours then apply to other places (like almost every other American I know at CX).

Currently they are having real problems with folks NO SHOWING at interviews and even NO SHOWING for class!!

Just the truth.

BJAMMIN:...What's with the B737 type rating man?? I thought you love it at CX....LOL...geeez, you're not applying to SWA are you??

 

[(o) (o)]

None of this includes profit sharing.

Correct, we DID NOT get any profit sharing this year. I believe CX made about 2 million US a day in profits.

Heard this second hand: people are saying that they decided to give us 3888 HK dollars in September after cancelling our profit shares in the summer was because planes were/are showing up at the gate with ZERO of the expensive wines on board left. The p*ssed off cabin crew drained everything down the toilet before landing. Every bottle emptied! Might be BS, but makes a good story at the bar.

CX pay is just a little better than regional jet pay, S/Os are bailing out to all kinds of places, I met a guy couple months ago that went to Spirit!!

CX recruits people with strong international background, like guys with families abroad and such. They do that because they know there will be other reason for them to hang around (reasons other than the "such great pay")

Like Browncow pointed out...$ 5200/mo to fly the whale around...dang I made that as commuter pilot!

 

[Bjammin]

I love the bashing I get for enjoying my job!! Funny.

I got the 737 type rating so as to keep my options open. SWA is a great airline and it was a tough choice. I DID NOT get through the interview. Why? who knows. I probably could have got a second interview, but after intervieing at CX and realizing the oppertunities I could have there I found CX the better choice for me. If SWA would have hired me first, I may have gone there and always wondered about CX. I can tell you that now I'm with CX and have many friends at SWA I know I made the right choice.

My buds on the PAX fleet bring home well in access of 10K a month. I don't know why your figures don't add up.

I believe the story about last years profit share. Did you see the new formula for this year?

Guys are leaving for other airlines. I thinks it's great for 2 reasons. 1 - gets rid of people that don't want to be here. 2 - the airline will take a hit in the pocket book due to lack of aircrew and change their ways.

Airplanes may be parked over the summer due to lack of crews and with the oppertunities here in the states applicants are not in supply, good!

The airline makes money and is expanding BIG TIME!!!! They NEED people to stay and people to apply. Watch this space for changes.

I cleared $5700 a month my first year not including per-diem. I think ASA offer me $18 an hour first year and $35 a hour 2nd year. Questions?

We hired 150 this year, 180 for next year, and 250 for the year after that. If they want these numbers they will need better conditions of service to attract them, again, GOOD!