Nine 74's for Cathay

[typhoonpilot]

I don't know any 3 year 747 or even 10 year 747 captain's at any other major airline.

Upgraded in one year on the 777, but it is a lot less money than Cathay. Right place, right time, and right qualifications for once in my career. Couldn't bring myself to apply to Cathay during the ban, it just didn't seem right, but it is a better place than Emirates. Dragonair was also high on my list, but they only seem to like Antipodeans and Brits. Speaking Mandarin wasn't even enough to break that barrier.

TP

 

[center]

Cathay747400,

"Generally the Canadians are in Canada, Americanos in USA, etc..."

This statement is not exactly true, as many Canadian pilots are flying in Canada, AS WELL as the US. We just don't have that many Americans working for us. Right now I believe Americans account for about 1-2 percent of the pilot force.

This could change in the next while with the planned US freight expansion.


One more point, for those US based freight FO's, you will actually not be working for Cathay Pacific Airways, you will be working for USAB, or in Canada, Veta Ltd.. They are wholly owned subs of Cathay with differnet COS's. Which constantly change as much as ours do. Another point is we have a union, but in actuality, we are NOT a union airline. The union here is more of a club that has recreational get togethers, and hockey games. Membership is NOT required. Unions are not legal entities with any power in Hong Kong, China, and never will be.

In closing, I have been here now for well over a decade, and am quite content, I always have been, but this company is NOTHING like a North American airline. So do not expect it. It is not perfect, but is better than most. We have excellent medical, but I have never heard of dental for the USAB pilots, this must be a brand new perk.

 

[amcnd]

Thanks. My wife is canadian and she would love to move back to YVR. Is it the same payscale but converted into CAD dollars? Or is there a different payscale? Just lookin at what I would make as a 3-5 year YVR FO. And as a american what do they look for . TT/ PIC ect....

 

[TonyC]

If you are going to be critical of CX, be more critical of ALPA.

Where did I come off as being critical of CX?


I wore a yellow ribbon - - I displayed stickers - - I supported the pilots of the Hong Kong Pilots Association. I am deeply concerned about the fate of the 50 living 49ers - - disappointed, even.

I am disturbed by pilots who are so eager to torpedo the efforts of pilot groups to negotiate fair work rules.

I am disgusted by scabs.

Where was I critical of CX?

 

[TonyC]

sorry dude, ALPA accepting CAL, ALPA needed CAL along with FEDEX to support ALPA, why did American so no.

ALPA ran out on CAL, the gang were on strike and ALPA gave up on them, thus leaving the CAL pilot group without a union. Lorenzo was successful.

the majority of CAL voters for ALPA were CAL express.

anyway, back to Cathay Pacific, thanks for all the great and positive info.

I'm sorry, but I was unable to follow your syntax. I take it you are displeased with ALPA - - I can't figure out how you determined that FEDEX has some part in that displeasure.

Could you clarify, please?

 

[mar]

My parting shot

What's over? Did the 49ers get their jobs back? Tell their families it's over.

Sir, you may beat this dead horse until you turn blue for all I care.

It's over indeed.

Those pilots, in case you don't have a full grasp on the situation, were terminated legally per their contract and per Hong Kong law.

I'm not saying it's right. The sackings were in fact random but entirely legal in the eyes of Hong Kong law, the HKAOA, and the California court system that saw the appeal.

Their contract stipulated three month's pay if terminated and that's what they were payed satisfying all obligations per the contract.

I don't know how else to say it.

Legal termination + Illegal Strike = No Scab.

They will never see their jobs again unless and until CX management recants. And that's highly unlikely.

I say again. Move on. The 49ers have.

 

[Cathay747400]

Just for the record, I am posting very basic information on here about working for Cathay. There are a lot of details very different than most carriers. It would take for ever to explain all the details, besdes I don't think the company wants all that released. I agree with my counterpart there. Every place has issues but I think in the long run, after every thing CX has been through, it is going to still be the best place to be.

I never attacked FedEx at all. I just think it is inappropritae for an outsider who does not know all the details to be making comments about another company and particularly an ALPA member. That would be like me saying what happened to the Tigers guys, The Western Guys, The TWAY guys, The Ozark Guys, The Eastern Guys, the Panam guys, you get my drift. I was not here when the 49/51ers happened so I cannot comment. I am only here to provide insight for people looking for a decent somewhat stable airline. That is all.

I would really like the issue dropped as that is not the intent of this board nor my messages. Drudging up "OLD" wounds will not solve anything. Good day.

 

[mar]

An attempted hijack?

Sorry if I went off on a tangent there, bud.

I just don't appreciate certain insinuations about my character being made in public without a complete examination of all the facts.

I consider the matter "dropped".

 

[CSY Mon]

I consider the matter "dropped".

Well, Mr. Mar:


Did ya ever consider looking yerself in the mirror while applying for the job over at CX while the hireing ban was in effect and while these 51 guys were applying for un-employment?

Have read yer postings the last few months and meh think ya come across as a pretty level-headed guy...Payed yer dues and all that.

Why the rush to jump into somebody's labor / managment conflict?

Plenty of jobs out there if ya wanna relocate and fly long-haul, and plenty of respect for DC-6 drivers in Alaska...At least in my book.

(I flew DC-3s on the beaches in SE Alaska as well as SE tail-draggers on other beaches, been up there, done some of it, my hat off for the year around DC-6 folks.)

So, uh, why dig yer own grave by applying for a job that is red-hot in a negative sense, and could hurt yer resume in the long run?

Too close to being a scab meh think, althought the CX guys did not really have the balls to set the parking brake and paint a line in the sand....They kept on flying...The ultimate compromise I guess...

Not sure where ALPA came into all this, but as a card carrying member for a couple of different carriers, I can say 2 things:
The ALPA lawyers saved my bacon once!
Disappointed about the CAL scabs being "forgiven"..Screw 'em!

 

[Airbusdrvr]

hey 744 use both sides of the brush, when painting

Whilst the 747-400 is happy with his new airline, his views are very one-sided and he speaks from very little experience with his new found air carier.

CX is a great Company. I have been there 7 plus years and am very happy. but as for his 18 days off a month, Nice if you get it. I have had several months where I flew 1 scheduled trip others were all changed. Home on tuesday may mean home on Friday. No bidding of schedules you get what they give you.

No dental in the USA or any Base. there are 17 different pay scales all dependent on date of joining and base area where you are employed.

Commands in 2 years, ???? maybe providing you are assessed suitable by the command selection board, have an outstanding simulator and employment history, pass a command selection interview and your line checks are good.
Then if you check those boxes and jump through a few more hoops provided you have the seniority you will get an command course with a 40% pass rate !

 

[mar]

I'm on the record.

Did ya ever consider looking yerself in the mirror while applying for the job over at CX while the hireing ban was in effect and while these 51 guys were applying for un-employment?

Have read yer postings the last few months and meh think ya come across as a pretty level-headed guy...Payed yer dues and all that.

Why the rush to jump into somebody's labor / managment conflict?

Look, my friend, I don't want to hijack this thread any further, but I feel compelled to defend myself when people take glancing blows at my character.

If you're so interested in how this one person came to apply, then interview and then flunk out of CX recruiting please do a search on the following topics:

1) Cathay Pacific Interview Gouge, Parts I and II.
2) Why winglets?

It's all there. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Let me say two more things and then I'll respectfully request all further discussion be directed to me by PM or just start another thread. I don't want to hijack this one any further...

1) My initial application was received by CX *before* the firing and subsequent ban, therefore I wasn't "rushing to jump into somebody's labor / managment conflict".

2) Though it really irritates me when people jump to conclusions that are based on incomplete information I appreciate your nod to my experience nevertheless.

 

[Guam360]

I am just happy to see this post by 747400. cheers by the way, i was the one that brought up FEDEX, but by far did NOT bash them, ALPA yes, but definetly not FEDEX.

i wish this was over but just for our friend at fedex, sorry mates.

my understanding before at ALPA, there were cat. A, cat. B, etc. "A" was the big four and a few, B was maybe Alaska and some frieghters, something like that. C or D were all the small jet companies. ALPA realizing the small jet guys getting to big, more man power equals voting rights, even though the majors were paying in more money, ALPA needed to increase the size of Cat. A so the voting majority wouldn't be at the "regionals", so the managed to suck up to FEDEX and CAL to get them back in to maintain the voting capacity. ALPA has since changed and the organization is different.

So my comment about FEDEX was only about being apart of ALPA now along with Continental.

My explanation is vague, it has been awhile since the strike and studying the inside of ALPA and it's organization.
I could have applied to Cathay during the ban but chose not to, a very good friend of mine there asked me to, but i refused. not the point, but my two cents.

My apologies TonyC, and the rest for commenting on this rubbish.

I hope that all aviators out there can keep there jobs and earn a decent living.
Cathay Pacific sounds like a great opportunity and I hope many get the chance to interview there, I know I would.

Thanks

 

[CSY Mon]

Roger on yer resposne Mr. Mar...This is not so much a hi-jack of the thread, more like a discussion of CX and the different angles to the hireing ban..

Though it really irritates me when people jump to conclusions that are based on incomplete information

Understood, yet the only information I had was this....Sort of indicated that ya uh, interviewed during the ban..

I interviewed with CX during the ban last year and was rejected.

Now, I won't beat a dead horse either, but perhaps will go back and take a look at the past postings ya were referring to.

there are 17 different pay scales

Hmm, guess I was wrong, thought it was only 10 different pay scales.

 

[TonyC]

Look, my friend, I don't want to hijack this thread any further, but I feel compelled to defend myself when people take glancing blows at my character.

Just to refresh your memory, I responded on this thread to CSY Mon when he asked about the hiring ban, the union, and the 49ers. I made no mention of you or your history; it would never have been a topic of discussion on this thread had not you seen fit to respond to my post with this attack on me:

Yeah, you know what? It's over. Let it go Tony.

You can't possibly do any good by stirring this crap up over and over.

It doesn't (didn't) involve you and besides that, there can never be scabs without a strike.

Move on.

If you feel like you've received glancing blows at your character, you only have yourself to blame. If you're going to be so sensitive about how the majority of the industry seems to feel about these issues, maybe you should stay out of the discussions.

This is a thread about Cathay Pacific. The hiring ban, the industrial action, the unfair sacking of 51 pilots, the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association - - all of these are issues pertinent to Cathay Pacific, and as such are not, in my opinion, hijacks. They all potentially affect the working conditions and environment at the airline.

By the way - - I found some of the stickers... One says:

NO DAVE, NO DEAL

 

[Cathay747400]

Um, do what

Airbusdrvr vbmenu_register("postmenu_392680", true);

Let me ask you this. I understand your point as being a new joiner but I want to ask. What did you do before CX and how did you join? S/O, F/O. Are you American? The reason I ask is beacause, I have flown for a number of jet and turboprop carriers here in the US and one abroad. I have been through 4 shutdowns, furloughed out of seniority, owed thousands of dollars in back pay, I could go on. Oh, let me mention the Hadj, been shot at, had a gun held to my head, all while flying in the airline biz. So, based on MY previous experience, look at the aircraft I have flown to get an idea, Cathay is by far the best place I have ever been. I am not so near sighted to see that CX has some issues. I think RP04 may address those. Nick, I think is a great DFO as well. Just wondering how many years I will need before i become eligible to comment?

Again, I started this thread to help those seeking employment. The upgrade, well, if I can't make it then I don't belong here. I knew all about it before joining. No, and I did say this previous, it is not for the faint of heart. Plenty are passing the command, young guys with about your seniority. Also, there are a lot of worse places than CX, believe you me. My previous company had literally no standards and pretty much no benefits, and if you think your schedule was bad, well try being sent out for two weeks and coming home four months later as the company held your passport and would not return it until the felt it was OK. Some snuk out and were terminated. The stories are endless. I hope this paints both sides. See you at Dakotas.

 

[center]

Airbusdrvr,

Please check your PM's

Cheers,

 

[potrack]

Best job of your life?

Cathay747400,

The "Best job of your life" what are you comparing this to? What other carriers have you worked for?

 

[Cathay747400]

Doesn't matter

Let's just say some real bottom feeders. Never had the pleasure of getting hired with a US major and believe me I am glad I didn't. I, and it's just me, really like Cathay. They have treated me great and it is more than I expected. I like the people, the flying, the aircraft etc... I consider myself VERY lucky. 2 out 8 get hired roughly. I am not saying it is for EVERYONE. Just trying to give a little info on MY experience with CX. And yes, IT IS THE BEST JOB OF MY LIFE. Well, I did do a stint at Arby's from age 17-19, so let's say a close second. Hey, the pimples are all almost gone.