Cathay Pacific

[brucek]

No, actually Cathay hires N. Americans to fill bases in LAX, Chicago, JFK, Anchorage, and Vancouver. It is of course possible to end up in Hong Kong at some point, but equally possible to remain in the US.

If based in the US (say LAX), would you fly LAX-HKG-LAX, or do LAX hub crew fly internal (5th freedom?) flights within the US? I assume LAX-EGLL (Heathrow) is not a flight, since HKG - EGLL is a west-bound flight. So, other than flights to/from HKG, would need to be internal US flights, yes?

Thanks,

Bruce.
BJC, Jeffco, CO

 

[aviator1x1]

ATPL

I understand that Cathy Pacific hires North American pilots with certain minimum qualifications, one of which is an ICAO ATPL.
Has anybody been hired with an FAA ATP only? How do you get an
ICAO ATPL? Can you convert FAA ATP into ICAO ATPL?
Thank you.

 

[Jolly Roger]

The bottom line is that Cathay accepts the US ATP, and the employee must take a series of equivelency exams in order to obtain a Hong Kong Commercial or ATP rating, which the Hong Kong CAD determines. Tests are not too difficult and take a week or so.

 

[Tref]

30 September 2002

IFALPA Issues Reminder to Member Associations of Recruitment Ban Against Cathay Pacific Airways

In their continued support for the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA), which represents Cathay Pacific’s 1600 pilots, the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) issued Monday, 30 September 2002, a reminder to pilots around the world of their ban against Cathay Pacific.

Captain Ted Murphy, President of IFALPA, which represents over 100,000 pilots in 95 countries worldwide, issued the following statement about the ongoing recruitment ban:

“As President of IFALPA, I wanted to remind our pilots of the recruitment ban that was put in place in July of 2001, when Cathay fired 51 skilled pilots without cause. No member of
our Federation should be subjected to the kind of abysmal treatment Cathay Pacific has continuously demonstrated against its pilots. Cathay Pacific does not treat its employees with respect and dignity, and regularly goes against international labour protection norms.

Given Cathay’s recently renewed recruitment efforts, I wanted to remind our Member Associations of the recruitment ban IFALPA put in place. We reserve this sort of activity for extreme circumstances, and the Cathay situation certainly warrants such treatment. Today, this ban continues to be highly respected by professional pilots the world over, and ensures that they are fully aware of the fractious corporate culture and poor industrial relations at Cathay Pacific.

If they need to hire pilots, I know of 51 highly qualified andidates who are ready to go back to work. If Cathay Pacific hires these pilots back, we would be happy to discuss removing the recruitment ban. Until that time, we will continue to advise our member pilots not to engage in recruitment activities with Cathay Pacific, but instead wait for openings at airlines that value their employees and safeguard basic labour protections.”

For further information, please contact:

Rick Brennan
IFALPA Professional Affairs Consultant
(44) 1932 579030
[email protected]

Captain Dennis Dolan
IFALPA Principal Officer
(1 202) 797-4023
[email protected]

 

[Expat]

I feel very bad for my brother pilots out at Cathay. However, there is one thing to remember. Hong Kong is part of China, albeit in an SAR, but still part of CHINA. The chinese are not noted for their tolerance of labor unions.
As for S/O my mate who works out there as an s/o (pre-ban) says that most s/o candidates have at least JAA theory if not a JAA "frozen ATP". Reason being, unless you have significant jet or operational experience, FAA piston training alone will not give you the knowledge and experience required to pass the interview. The sim is a 744 flown raw data only, no A/P or director allowed to be used. A very good book exists "How to pass your CathaY Interview" by Cptn X, Y and Z.
Personally I'd love to work out there, but I wont cross the line. Nor do I fancy being subject to Chinese labor laws (contradiction in terms) in the future.

 

[mar]

Crossing the 'line'.

Expat--I can respect your intention to honor the 'recruitment ban' but let's call it what it really is: a recruitment ban.

There is no 'line'. There is no strike. There can be no scabs.

I don't know what you call a person that doesn't respect the recruitment ban (I'm sure someone will have a few choice suggestions) but I get awfully tired of misplaced rhetoric.

Eventually misplaced rhetoric has the same effect as crying wolf.

Let's save it for when we really strike then I'll walk that line with you--proudly.

Til then, peace.

 

[CRJ200FO]

Just because there isn't an official strike doesn't mean that there won't be consequences for ignoring the hiring ban. If you look at the end of the SCAB list you'll see the names of the CAL preferential hire list. They never actually crossed the line, but ALPA included their names on a seperate list. They could always do the same for pilots that don't honor the hiring ban at Cathay. It's just not worth risking.

 

[edy]

crj 200 f.o, GIA by any chance.

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

'splain something tew me, ladies...

Where's this scab list kept at? Does HR look at it when doing the hiring, or does the chief pilot use it as a check list, while looking for drivers? Wouldn't you think that anti-union majors would instruct their HR departments and senior chief pilots to turn a blind eye to the practice of scabbing?