sbs2716g

These two days, CX cancel more than 10 pairs per day. Which is around 10%.

BA cancellation mostly due to ATC/weather. Not due to crews. There might be 1 or 2 per day due to crews or plane issue though. Unlike CX which is due to crews. For which you have highlighted so many times that CX have more than enough pilots as per info from your pilots friends. But the fact is that there is not enough pilots at all. NowHKG govt are pressuring CX on this issue.

lamach22888

I meant to write JL29 (HND-HKG).

The agent at first refused to offer HND-HKG instead of NRT-HKG on CX metal, arguing that it’s a different origin. But after some firm pushing they gave in and rebooked me on CX543 (HND-HKG)

percysmith

They are no longer required to do that CX715/714 cancellation on Xmas

Fair enough, good recovery for you.

NZflyer777

Yeah
CX management must be the only airline management in earth that goes, oh wow there is so much demand, lets do our very best to not meet that.

I am really nervous that I booked my return flights to NZ on CX.
Thought I'd retry them.

HK really needs an airline that wants to make it a global hub. Considerig their order book of which half are narrow bodies. CX is not planning any real expansion for the next decade.

Reply1984

I just don't see why ordering narrowbody aircraft indicates no expansion.

NZflyer777

do the math yourself
its fairly easy to calculate

moondog

Won't those 321s be able to fly a large percentage of current 330 routes and expand to other destinations within range? It appears that the trend of replacing widebodies with narrowbodies, when possible, is industry wide and has been in the works for at least the past 20 years.

boybi

Maybe the narrowbodies will be used for ex-KA routes.

oldchinahand

The airline has a large fleet of A330 aircraft and the majority of these are relatively young although 40% need to be replaced as soon as is possible as they are between 16 and 22 y.o.
Cathay have already indicated that they are in the market for a further 25 (about) wide body workhorse mid flight range aircraft with high freight capacity. This precludes any change to narrow bodies on the A330 routes.
Although Boeing desperately needs business for the B787 and will deal on cost and payment it is likely in my opinion that Cathay will go again with the A330 as it ticks most of the boxes.

NZflyer777

yup.
Even so when it comes to growth the math still does not add up.

There are 40 a330s and 17 777s that are supposed to be replaced by 25 aircraft supposedly. Note the 777s have an amazing CASM and previous management used them effectively to counter LCCs


CX looks like its downsizing.
SIN will cement its place as the international hub of Asia.
All because CX handed it over on a silver platter
this is why flights have to be cut.
They are not hiring pilots, retaining or even ordering aircraft to match their 2019 schedule.

US HK UK flyer

They've hired tons of fresh pilots; it just takes a really long time to train them properly.

What they're arguably not doing is 1) likely because of still working through pandemic-related financial constraints, offering an attractive enough package to bring experienced pilots back who left (and who often have the residency requirements to work in HK); 2) getting the HK government to relax a little on local hiring requirements which is preventing more experienced expat pilot recruitment. I wonder if quite possibly the current situation, which has led to the HK government getting involved out of concern for CX's impact on hub status, will persuade them to approve more visas.

feh

Not sure it would be be even that "easy"
CX have shown that they can and do unilaterally impose drastic contract downgrades, so a hell of a lot of trust has gone. One of my daughter's friend's mother was senior cabin crew (I think an ISM, or if not then just shy of that). She got made redundant and then a while later offered a chance to return, but starting right at the bottom again. This of course nuked what little goodwill was left at that point.

And HKG is of course a mightily expensive cost base (accommodation, schooling, etc) - yet CX cleverly shuttered their overseas bases meaning that CX pilots need to cover all of this out of their package: so unless you're a single senior pilot (for Direct Entry First Officer/ Direct Entry Captain (if they do this)), you need to cover all of that out of your package. (Of course it was spectacular timing when they shut bases: it prevented CX from having a semi-viable workaround to deal with HKSARG's hermit policies during Covid)

There's no way I can see CX restoring pre-Covid schedules by end of year. And doubtful by end of 2025 too,

The upshot: flyers being pushed away (I've been flying CX for 30 years and MPC in own right since 2000; during 1990s I'd usually use a Corporate MPC card, which they had until the shift from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok).

Yet if CX does somehow manage to expand schedules, then any cancellations or cabin service shortfalls will push flyers away.

Very, very sad to see. But it's a situation CX management brought upon themselves, albeit certainly very much compounded by the pigheaded stupidity of HKSARG during Covid.

feh

Out of interest I just did a search on HKG-DXB via Google. Remember that until a few days ago, CX were claiming a daily service then I think the day before yesterday it was daily except Tuesdays. Now it's this: Just two per week (down from two per day pre-Covid, and also daily to BAH pre-Covid):

Clearly I can't afford to take the risk of booking CX next time I'm off to RUH. So QR via DOH it is...

NZflyer777

yup and it still shocks me that the current management can get away with the lie that CX is at 70% of pre pandemic capacity.

Anyways this is all quite a sad demise for a once fantastic airline and brand that represented Hong Kong

NZflyer777

yup and it still shocks me that the current management can get away with the lie that CX is at 70% of pre pandemic capacity.

Anyways this is all quite a sad demise for a once fantastic airline and brand that represented Hong Kong