[AndrewinHK]

Some more colour on this. The Pilots Union chief came out and said morale is low with the slow taxiing incidents a result of pilot frustration. CX has lost half of its senior pilots according to the Union.

[HKFlyer]

Most commentary on the subject seems to miss the fact that this phenomenon originates from Cathay’s own fuel saving policy, which mandates taxiing on one engine as much as possible. An airliner is not like a car. You don’t adjust the speed while taxiing using the throttles, instead you let the aircraft accelerate on idle thrust to its maximum taxi speed, thereafter you slow it down by using the breaks to 5-10 kts and repeat the process as many times as needed. Naturally taxiing on one engine increases the time needed for acceleration significantly, slowing down the average taxi speed. If the purpose of this policy is to save fuel it would be defeated by taxiing around on one engine with the throttle open.

[cwoodward]

With every respect HKflyer I suspect that the airline knows more about taxiing an aircraft and the reasons for adopting the current procedure than do you.
You and others may disagree with the process currently adopted but I doubt the airline will change the procedure because a few laymen and malcontents in their ranks disagree with it attempt to make a lot of noise for the media to pick-up on.
It all seems rather banal to me.

[HKFlyer]

With all respect cwoodward, it seems from your comment that out of the two of us YOU are the layman. The reason for adopting this procedure is clear as mud to everyone: fuel saving. The consequence of this procedure is also clear to everyone: longer taxi times. Apparently the math works out that taxiing slightly slower on one engine adds up to a lower fuel burn than taxiing faster on two engines. So now the Airport Authority (note: not the pilots) have raised the issue caused by slower taxi speeds, and somehow Cathay tries dump that on the pilots. Ridiculous. Are you aware of the fact that when single engine taxi before departure was initially introduced by Cathay many years ago the HK Airport Authority promptly banned the practice after only a few week citing THE EXACT SAME problems they are bringing up again. There is a time and place for fuel saving, but not at the expense of others.

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a_canadian_traveller

[cwoodward]

HK Flyer – you are of course fully entitled to your opinion but of course it is your fantasy that the procedure that you raised is clear to other than a few here – I suspect also that most would have zero interest.

My original post queried that which I believed was tabloid misleading headline posted by yourself. I have little interest beyond that and certainly not in debating the minutia of aircraft taxiing on a business travel forum with a seemingly committed Cathay ((ex) pilot?) antagonist.

[a_canadian_traveller]

AndrewinHK There was absolutely nothing ‘tabloid’ about your original post. It was perfectly legitimate. I think that your use of a question mark in the caption makes that perfectly clear. It’s not as if you ended it with !!!. Thank you for the read, and thanks to AMcWhirter and HKFlyer for their helpful contributions.

2 users thanked author for this post.

AndrewinHK, ASK1945

[HKFlyer]

cwoodward, you should take the chip off your shoulders. I added some missing context to the subject. It’s up to the reader if they want to go behind the headlines and understand some background. What readers definitely have zero interest in is the type of ad hominem angle you’re coming from – layman, antagonist, fantasies.

[a_canadian_traveller]

AndrewinHK I forgot to add what’s obvious, but should be noted all the same. The notion that your post (or, simply the title of your post) is “alarmist and intended to deceive” is *complete nonsense*. I am definitely troubled (“alarmed”) today, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with your post.

Happy Friday, and safe travels to all.

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AndrewinHK

[cwoodward]

HKFlyer

I trust that you feel better after getting that off of your chest and now can enjoy a good weekend.

[cwoodward]

No more slow taxiing

From RTHK and Bloomberg

“Cathay Pacific on Friday said pilots will no longer lose out on wages if their planes reach airport gates ahead of schedule, after reports some were deliberately taxiing at slower speeds to boost their pay packets.

From October, pilots will be paid based on their roster hours or the actual time flown, whichever is higher, rather than on the duration of their flights.

Paul Weatherilt, who chairs the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association, told RTHK he isn’t sure whether it is the slow taxiing complaints that have sparked Cathay’s move, but the change will bring the company in line with industry standards.

“Most airlines have a scheduled length of time [for their flights]. If you manage to complete the flight in a shorter time, you get paid for the longer scheduled time. And so there is an incentive for efficient operation and it’s the way pretty much every other airline around the world pays their pilots,” he said.
Weatherilt said while the change means Cathay pilots will no longer be penalised for being efficient,

We are committed to listening to the feedback from our pilots,” Kempis said in the statement. “We will continue to review the competitiveness of our pilot remuneration and benefits, and will make changes where suitable.”

Cathay also recently announced a 3% to 8% increase in pay for cabin crew. The policy means a new worker would earn HK$17,000 ($2,175) a month on a typical roster, and is aimed at encouraging attendants to fly more as the company contends with a staffing shortage.”

Typically 3 year flight attendant earns in total about 26 -27K a month and of course more as promoted – we have a relative who flies for the airline

[AndrewinHK]

Cathay announced they will hire more crew from Mainland China in response to the recent language based incidents. My assumption is these crew will be Mainland China based and likely mean local crew have to do less flying to the Mainland which will likely be welcomed as these are mostly all turnaround flights. The CEO also reaffirmed CX should be back at pre covid capacity at the end of next year (a long runway indeed).

[cwoodward]

AHK I have not seen the announcement that you mention (where please) and I find it to be an extremely unlikely development given that the several million Singaporeans are Mandarin speakers and that many already work for the airline – and more could be hired.

It seems even more unlikely that if mainland cabin crew would be hired that they would be mainland based.
Perhaps you are confusing the government release of a few days back that 6500 workers (who would return across the border after their shift) would be allowed to work at the airport as cleaners, baggage handlers and such.

Not a long runway AHK when you consider that many airlines that have had the benefit of more than 2 years are still not operating at full schedule with SIA in April still at 80% of schedule 2 years after reopening.

[AndrewinHK]

Hi Cwoodward I am just referencing a topic which Bloomberg reported on this morning. The hiring will begin this summer.

[cwoodward]

AHK The actual memo referenced “Widening our crew’s Putonghua coverage is a key objective under this initiative, given the increasing proportion of our customers who speak Putonghua”

I couldn’t find an actual reference to hiring mainland crew in the memo but possibly I missed it as I was only shown the memo.

But this from the SCMP an hour ago perhaps indicates some crew from the mainland………
“But he stressed the cabin crew will remain predominantly Hong Kong employees, augmented by crew from outside of Hong Kong which is in line with the airline’s overall customer profile.

Cathay will also increase Putonghua-speaking crew on mainland flights, to ensure they have consistent Putonghua inflight announcements from August.

Putonghua and other Asian-language capabilities will be shown on the name tags of cabin crew, and those who can speak more than one Asian language will be entitled to a monthly allowance.

The airline also said additional service culture training will begin in July for its cabin crew.

Lam said he has “every confidence” that he and his team will be able to achieve their ultimate goal to become one of the world’s greatest service brands.”

[Woodpecker]

I think it makes complete sense to have (more) prolific Putonghua speakers for mainland flights, whether these are HKG or mainland based is secondary.

Andrew is correct that barring the last flights of the day, almost all are turnaround, a practice established by the erstwhile Dragon Air (later rebranded Cathay Dragon), so additional costs of any overnight stay of crew would be marginal. Cathay still hasn’t got up to the pre covid frequency of Dragon Air for mainland flights, but it is clear that it is going all out to get a share of the vast pie of mainland leisure travellers who now are now expanding their excursions to all corners of the globe.

Pre covid Dragon Air had multiple flights to over twentysix mainland destinations, flights to Shanghai & Beijing were virtually hourly shuttles, so I believe Cathay is pushing to return to these levels.

Several airlines recruit country specific staff to cater to flights to and fro destinations where English is not the first language (Korea, Japan, India), so Cathay recruiting Putonghua speakers is logical given that the focus going forward is to attract more mainland travellers.

[Author]

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