Redistributed Crew Duties on Cathay Pacific
Jan 16, 2023, 1:11 am
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MNL
Programs: CX MPO DM, Le Club Accor Platinum, World of Hyatt Explorist
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Redistributed Crew Duties on Cathay Pacific
For those who have flown on Cathay Pacific since 2021, you will notice some changes to the staffing on board.
1. Inflight Service Managers and Senior Pursers have assumed new roles as section leaders. ISM will take over the role that used to be done by the SP while the SP now will go down to Premium Economy and Economy as the Section Leader (A post used to be done by a Flight Purser). First Class will still have an SP and FP.
2. ISMs will no longer be able to "float around" the cabin to assist Passengers, specially Diamond/Emeralds on special request. ISM will do the service on the aisle on the port-side as what the practice was when the SP was in charge of Business Class.
3. On Narrow-body aircraft, SPs will act as SCCM (Senior Cabin Crew Member/ISM) for the flight and will take care of the Business Class together with an FP.
4. Diamond Greeting (plus OW Emeralds) will be done together with the standard greeting for all passengers on the ground or before the 1st meal service. In PEY/YCL this will no longer bye done by the SCCM/ISM, instead the Section Leader/SP will assume this responsibility together with the delivery of the bottled water.
5. Business class manpower has also been cut from what I understand, I heard meal service is taking much longer now specially on full flights.
1. Inflight Service Managers and Senior Pursers have assumed new roles as section leaders. ISM will take over the role that used to be done by the SP while the SP now will go down to Premium Economy and Economy as the Section Leader (A post used to be done by a Flight Purser). First Class will still have an SP and FP.
2. ISMs will no longer be able to "float around" the cabin to assist Passengers, specially Diamond/Emeralds on special request. ISM will do the service on the aisle on the port-side as what the practice was when the SP was in charge of Business Class.
3. On Narrow-body aircraft, SPs will act as SCCM (Senior Cabin Crew Member/ISM) for the flight and will take care of the Business Class together with an FP.
4. Diamond Greeting (plus OW Emeralds) will be done together with the standard greeting for all passengers on the ground or before the 1st meal service. In PEY/YCL this will no longer bye done by the SCCM/ISM, instead the Section Leader/SP will assume this responsibility together with the delivery of the bottled water.
5. Business class manpower has also been cut from what I understand, I heard meal service is taking much longer now specially on full flights.
Jan 16, 2023, 1:37 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Cathay Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 691
FPE What you post is possibly correct in theory but not in my experience in practise. I have 3 flights this year already and 7 last in Bus always the ISM has introduced and looked after any issues. Crew say no numbers cut in J.
There is/was some minor crew dispute and a few unhappy crew perhaps posting negatively.
There is/was some minor crew dispute and a few unhappy crew perhaps posting negatively.
Jan 16, 2023, 2:03 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
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FPE What you post is possibly correct in theory but not in my experience in practise. I have 3 flights this year already and 7 last in Bus always the ISM has introduced and looked after any issues. Crew say no numbers cut in J.
There is/was some minor crew dispute and a few unhappy crew perhaps posting negatively.
There is/was some minor crew dispute and a few unhappy crew perhaps posting negatively.
Jan 16, 2023, 6:17 pm
#4
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FPE What you post is possibly correct in theory but not in my experience in practise. I have 3 flights this year already and 7 last in Bus always the ISM has introduced and looked after any issues. Crew say no numbers cut in J.
There is/was some minor crew dispute and a few unhappy crew perhaps posting negatively.
There is/was some minor crew dispute and a few unhappy crew perhaps posting negatively.
Like pre-pandemic, an extra BC maybe assigned to J during meal service on ultra short-haul and ultra long haul flights.
Jan 16, 2023, 6:46 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: HKG,SIN,CAN
Programs: CX MPC DM, HU FWC Gold
Posts: 213
5. Business class manpower has also been cut from what I understand, I heard meal service is taking much longer now specially on full flights.
I flew CX J short haul 7 times in late 2020. The service procedure changed. Instead of a cart to passengers, They have to hand in their meals one by one for the galley. The service flow is significantly longer than before.
This makes your meal time (especially A35K last few seats) less. From my experience, you might need to wait for your meal for 20-30 minutes longer than usual.
Also, manpower was reduced compared to KA. For a normal KA A321 flight, they will usually have at least 6 and up to 8 crew members.
CX A321Neo is now assigned at max 6, I flew to DPS in December, and they got 5 only for a full flight (A321Neo requires at least 4 crew).
(FYI, KA A321 has less seats compare to CX A321Neo)
I flew CX J short haul 7 times in late 2020. The service procedure changed. Instead of a cart to passengers, They have to hand in their meals one by one for the galley. The service flow is significantly longer than before.
This makes your meal time (especially A35K last few seats) less. From my experience, you might need to wait for your meal for 20-30 minutes longer than usual.
Also, manpower was reduced compared to KA. For a normal KA A321 flight, they will usually have at least 6 and up to 8 crew members.
CX A321Neo is now assigned at max 6, I flew to DPS in December, and they got 5 only for a full flight (A321Neo requires at least 4 crew).
(FYI, KA A321 has less seats compare to CX A321Neo)
Jan 17, 2023, 2:00 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX MarcoPolo (SL), BA Executive Club (GO)
Posts: 1,852
I flew CX251 / CX252 on the 4-class 77W. Outbound I was in PEY / Inbound I was in Y.
From an Y/W pax perspective, I think the new service flow works well with the senior Purser now section leader for the Economy cabins. I observed closely both flights and there was consistency in both the team work and service flow across both flights which made for a very efficient and well executed meal service. It was my first long haul CX Y flight since Nov20 when we were still deep in the pandemic. I thought, wow, CX has really come back to how it used to be - excellent service, printed menus, good food, lots of inflight snacks etc.
As an Emerald, the greeting both times was conducted by the Senior Purser. Whilst I spotted the ISM once briefly, she did not come back to the Economy cabins to participate in any greetings or service flow. Whilst as a passenger I can't comment on individual crew workload, it looked like the flow of service was much better, with the Senior Purser actively involved in managing the Economy cabins - if anything this autonomy and responsibility might be a nice thing for Senior Pursers.
The Senior Purser was located at the mid cabin galley by door 4 during meal service. On both flights, they were active in replenishing trolleys with drinks/meals and helping at the end with early tray pick up / trash etc.
From an Y/W pax perspective, I think the new service flow works well with the senior Purser now section leader for the Economy cabins. I observed closely both flights and there was consistency in both the team work and service flow across both flights which made for a very efficient and well executed meal service. It was my first long haul CX Y flight since Nov20 when we were still deep in the pandemic. I thought, wow, CX has really come back to how it used to be - excellent service, printed menus, good food, lots of inflight snacks etc.
As an Emerald, the greeting both times was conducted by the Senior Purser. Whilst I spotted the ISM once briefly, she did not come back to the Economy cabins to participate in any greetings or service flow. Whilst as a passenger I can't comment on individual crew workload, it looked like the flow of service was much better, with the Senior Purser actively involved in managing the Economy cabins - if anything this autonomy and responsibility might be a nice thing for Senior Pursers.
The Senior Purser was located at the mid cabin galley by door 4 during meal service. On both flights, they were active in replenishing trolleys with drinks/meals and helping at the end with early tray pick up / trash etc.
Jan 17, 2023, 6:56 am
#8
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,280
There is a post by the CX flight union comparing the number of crews for 777/A350 etc for CX against other airline such as EVA/SQ. CX have the least crews
And it was reported that CX only deploy 4 crews to serve Y cabin of 288 paxes for flights to Japan in Jan.
And it was reported that CX only deploy 4 crews to serve Y cabin of 288 paxes for flights to Japan in Jan.
Last edited by sbs2716g; Jan 17, 2023 at 7:01 am
Jan 17, 2023, 7:12 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MNL
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I flew CX251 / CX252 on the 4-class 77W. Outbound I was in PEY / Inbound I was in Y.
From an Y/W pax perspective, I think the new service flow works well with the senior Purser now section leader for the Economy cabins. I observed closely both flights and there was consistency in both the team work and service flow across both flights which made for a very efficient and well executed meal service. It was my first long haul CX Y flight since Nov20 when we were still deep in the pandemic. I thought, wow, CX has really come back to how it used to be - excellent service, printed menus, good food, lots of inflight snacks etc.
As an Emerald, the greeting both times was conducted by the Senior Purser. Whilst I spotted the ISM once briefly, she did not come back to the Economy cabins to participate in any greetings or service flow. Whilst as a passenger I can't comment on individual crew workload, it looked like the flow of service was much better, with the Senior Purser actively involved in managing the Economy cabins - if anything this autonomy and responsibility might be a nice thing for Senior Pursers.
The Senior Purser was located at the mid cabin galley by door 4 during meal service. On both flights, they were active in replenishing trolleys with drinks/meals and helping at the end with early tray pick up / trash etc.
From an Y/W pax perspective, I think the new service flow works well with the senior Purser now section leader for the Economy cabins. I observed closely both flights and there was consistency in both the team work and service flow across both flights which made for a very efficient and well executed meal service. It was my first long haul CX Y flight since Nov20 when we were still deep in the pandemic. I thought, wow, CX has really come back to how it used to be - excellent service, printed menus, good food, lots of inflight snacks etc.
As an Emerald, the greeting both times was conducted by the Senior Purser. Whilst I spotted the ISM once briefly, she did not come back to the Economy cabins to participate in any greetings or service flow. Whilst as a passenger I can't comment on individual crew workload, it looked like the flow of service was much better, with the Senior Purser actively involved in managing the Economy cabins - if anything this autonomy and responsibility might be a nice thing for Senior Pursers.
The Senior Purser was located at the mid cabin galley by door 4 during meal service. On both flights, they were active in replenishing trolleys with drinks/meals and helping at the end with early tray pick up / trash etc.
On the other hand, as prices for tickets have increase dramatically, I don't know how removing someone from Business will make people who paid more for Business feel more premium.
Jan 17, 2023, 7:32 pm
#10
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It seems like CX is staffing their flights with a minimum number of crew or just +1. I heard they seems to have a problem with hiring enough FPs and BCs, to the point that when you are on standby theres an upwards of 80% chance that you get called, and theres also a chance for senior crew members i.e. ISM and SP to be downgraded to FP or BC role.
Jan 19, 2023, 3:12 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: ey class
Posts: 258
on my recent flight back from Osaka, 2 SPs were deployed to EY due to shortage of FPs and BCs.
on their 321, total 6 crew deployed, 2 in J and the rest in EY on a full flight...premium service?
their recent recruitment at CX city, i saw fewer than 10 people lining up. later in the day, personnel was just sitting there
on their 321, total 6 crew deployed, 2 in J and the rest in EY on a full flight...premium service?
their recent recruitment at CX city, i saw fewer than 10 people lining up. later in the day, personnel was just sitting there
Jan 19, 2023, 9:56 pm
#12
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Join Date: Sep 2011
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on my recent flight back from Osaka, 2 SPs were deployed to EY due to shortage of FPs and BCs.
on their 321, total 6 crew deployed, 2 in J and the rest in EY on a full flight...premium service?
their recent recruitment at CX city, i saw fewer than 10 people lining up. later in the day, personnel was just sitting there
on their 321, total 6 crew deployed, 2 in J and the rest in EY on a full flight...premium service?
their recent recruitment at CX city, i saw fewer than 10 people lining up. later in the day, personnel was just sitting there
Jan 20, 2023, 10:22 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 98
It seems like CX is staffing their flights with a minimum number of crew or just +1. I heard they seems to have a problem with hiring enough FPs and BCs, to the point that when you are on standby theres an upwards of 80% chance that you get called, and theres also a chance for senior crew members i.e. ISM and SP to be downgraded to FP or BC role.
Jan 22, 2023, 8:02 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: MPC, KF, Accor, SPG, HH
Posts: 902