Cathay, Why not?

helpCX · Post by **helpCX** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:28 pm

I have done the first interview with Cathay and seem to like all I see, read and hear about it. My question is, with Cathay hiring like crazy why dont more people talk about it here in Canada and why dont more people apply. Starting salary is much better than Canada and they pay your rent or mortgage in HK. all this being said none of my friends have even thought of applying, Why not?

Highflyinpilot · Post by **Highflyinpilot** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:50 pm

Do you need citizenship to work there?

SkyWolfe · Post by **SkyWolfe** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 6:56 pm

I would, ofcourse I'm still a student so what do I know. They will help you get citizenship for HK only.

Justwannafly · Post by **Justwannafly** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:08 pm

How are the labour issues?...A few years ago they had some serious problems & were treating their pilot's realy bad....I've heard that that has been cleared up & that they are no longer black listed but that's all I've heard...Anyone have more info on this?

JetPilot123 · Post by **JetPilot123** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:34 pm

They are one of the best airlines in the world. first class, treat you very well and pay alot. great choice. the interview process is hard.

i think people dont want to leave canada, dont want to live in HK for a few years and that is why not everyone is jumping at the idea.

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:34 pm

A friend of mine was happily working there, progressing nicely and they started having labour problems. Management chose 40 pilots at random and fired them. Made no difference if they were implicated in the labour thing or not (my friend wasn't). He's still pissed at them. That labour thing is why they were blacklisted.

Have you ever been to Hong Kong?

SkyWolfe · Post by **SkyWolfe** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 8:47 pm

I have, HK was a very good experiance... I guess it's not up everyones alley, but it is another part of the world with it's own culture, just join in

pika · Post by **pika** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:12 pm

It's easy to stay in your own country. That's the difference. If you want to retire a millionaire get your resume in now.

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:29 pm

Skywolfe, you're still around! Nearly done?

I don't like huge cities, with the possible exception of London. I thought H.K. was fascinating; just my definition of hell to live there. They build one 50 story apartment block, then duplicate it 20 times.

If you grew up in Toronna, you might not even notice.

Sideshow · Post by **Sideshow** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:58 pm

Wow that's awesome. I'd certaily like to get a job with Cathay. What sort of times/experience did you have to get called for an interview? I know the mins are 1000hrs for SO, but I don't think they'll actually interview anyone with that little amount of time.

Boeing Driver · Post by **Boeing Driver** » Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:47 pm

CX is the best kept secret in North America. It all depends on what you want out of your career. If you want to fly long haul in a wide body, then CX is a great choice. Not too many of those opportunities in Canada during the first 20 years of your career. I'm 29 and I'm in the right seat of a 747-400. Nobody in Canada even have 747's anymore. The pay is good, and they really are a first class airline. In their 60 year history, they have never furloughed a single pilot. Yes...they had issues about labour (name me one airline that hasn't), but all in all, it's top notch. PM if you have other questions. Did you get invited for the second interview?

Cheers!

twinpratts · Post by **twinpratts** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:09 am

Comfort zone. That's the main deterant, I think.
For more info on the Job, Try pprune.com and check out the fraigrant harbor forum.

SkyWolfe · Post by **SkyWolfe** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 6:36 am

xsbank wrote:Skywolfe, you're still around! Nearly done?

Yup, still floating around - close to having my ppl lol, keep getting set back, flu, bad weather, etc, actually it kinda ticks me off

bcflyer · Post by **bcflyer** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:28 am

Not sure about the best kept secret in Canada thing. Every single pilot I fly with has thought about applying. Most aren't willing to leave the security of Canada. As someone above mentioned, have a look on pprune.com in Fragrant harbour and Fragrant harbour wannabes for all the information you can handle.

DGuy · Post by **DGuy** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 10:42 am

There are a lot of well paid job-opportunities flying for reputable airlines in the far east.

helpCX · Post by **helpCX** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:11 pm

I have been to pprune and have all the info I need, my second interview is soon and I know that if they offer I will jump for it. I just dont know why more people dont want it.

bmc · Post by **bmc** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:44 pm

helpCX wrote:I have been to pprune and have all the info I need, my second interview is soon and I know that if they offer I will jump for it. I just dont know why more people dont want it.

Fear

bcflyer · Post by **bcflyer** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 2:15 pm

Fear? What a load of crap. What is everyone afraid of? Not everyone is able to make such a big move. Consider a wife with a good job, kids in school, all your relatives in Canada. There are many reasons not to go. Just because someone isn't willing to move to the other side of the world to be a dozer on a heavy, doesn't mean they are afraid.

Dockjock · Post by **Dockjock** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:03 pm

Life ain't only about money.

For me personally, I didn't apply because I felt that despite the alleged good pay at CX, there were too many other unknowns to gamble a career on. Like the lack of union representation in a country with no labour laws, for one! I hear lots of people are happy there, in general.

Front. · Post by **Front.** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:40 pm

by what means is the interview process difficult. Just wanting to know what it is they do for your interview and the whole hiring process that makes it so much more difficult to get into any other airline.

And is there really anybody flying 747 Cargo's with 1000 hours of experience? it does seem a bit odd.

Hey, good luck with the rest of the process there.

Boeing Driver · Post by **Boeing Driver** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:00 pm

C182,
The process is difficult because of the level of knowledge they expect you to have. They can ask anything from a very long list of topics, and they determine how much you studied for the interview and use that to gauge how serious you are about flying for CX. The 1000 hour minimum is for the position of S/O. The minimum for direct entry F/O is 1000 hours in an airline jet transport or Command experience in a Turbo Prop greater than 20 tonnes, or fighter jet, or corporate jet command. So to have this kind of experience, the average successful DEFO, has about 5000+ hours. Good luck.

Cheers!

cedar tree · Post by **cedar tree** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:14 am

Take a look at the growth forecasts from Boeing, Airbus, Rolls Royce, etc. You'll conclude there is a lot of opportunity over the next 20 years, with the strongest growth being in the Asia Pacific region. Cathay is very well placed, and they have never laid a pilot off in 60 years of operations; how many airlines has Canada seen come and go over the last 60 years?

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:59 am

They don't lay them off, they FIRE them. My friend, with 39 others chosen at random, was FIRED without cause. Keeps the troops on their toes, eh? Like winning a reverse lottery.

Laid off, no. FIRED, yes.

Ask 'em about that little episode in your interview!

cedar tree · Post by **cedar tree** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:56 am

XS Bank,

RE: 39 Pilots Fired

Care to elaborate about the 49er's, actually 51 pilots fired? You say it was entirely random, or were these pilots strong voices in the labour dispute?

gr8gazu · Post by **gr8gazu** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:01 am

Before this becomes an "I hate you, You hate me" slugfest, let me just say this...

There is no job on earth that is right for everybody. Some may prefer flying heavies and living overseas, others may like living at home and spending weekends on the boat or at the cottage with friends and family.

There is no right or wrong for everybody, just right or wrong for you! Live with no regrets