CX HK

I don't disagree with you outright but we all have our opinions on Cathay, the pilots union, SCMP, media, and other posters; in the same vein, they all have their own agendas and motivations as well.

What I mean is that in staunchly defending Cathay - and dismissing claims by others as false - there is a risk that Cathay is assumed to be 100% honest and upfront about their statistics. The 500 pilot shortfall is lower than Oct 2020 but they project it will be enough to hit pre-pandemic capacity; this is purely based on their own projections. The 2% turnover; there is no timeframe given, is it the past financial year, YTD, past calendar year?

I am a big fan and customer of Cathay (if my forum handle isn't a giveaway); but sometimes it is because of this fact that I strongly criticize the airline, because I know what it is capable of. We can both support the company while holding it to account and without defending it at all costs.

oldchinahand

I just take the view that information submitted to the stock exchange as part of annual report by Swire and Cathay will be correct.
To do otherwise would be stupid beyond belief and see Directors jailed.
The 2% taken in context of an annual report surely indicates for the past year ?

Of course the airline is not beyond reproach but in this case what is in the public domain I believe to correct.

peasant

no where in the stock exchange information is pilot or staff resignation rates mentioned. In the press conference R Lam says that says attrition for pilots is 5% last year (around the 6 minute mark). Not sure where SCMP got 2% from, or maybe the CEO ‘mis spoke’?

he also says this is back to pre COVID levels, but that was already a time of instability in HK. 5% for pilots is quite high/ expensive to deal with, because of the training events it triggers. Say a captain resigns, you need to train/ promote an FO, who might be on a different aircraft. And train/ promote a SO, and then train/ recruit a SO. This on top of your normal retirements and growth plans training and promotions

he also says they want to add 20% staff, so that means 25% increase in pilots in a year

US HK UK flyer

I don't think it's likely Cathay outright lies about statistics. Projections, however, are an entirely other matter and can be influenced by a variety of factors, including overly rosy assumptions. Plenty of people have found Cathay's projections overoptimistic based on their own data, which leads me to believe the data is more trustworthy of the two figures and we don't need to cast doubt on both to the same degree.

SLGO

I am not sure about this move too, as LH and SH planes should have different requirements eg having more J (flatbed) and PEY seats. Can’t imagine how to configure one plane to fit all routes that makes the most economical sense.

djsflynn

I suppose it's the trade-off for flexibility within the fleet.

Qantas is doing something similar with its own A330 replacement fleet: they split the need for 24 jets into 12 x A350s and 12 x 787s. I've been told both types will be configured identically to their long-haul counterparts – ie business, premium economy and economy – albeit without the first suites and 'wellness zone' of the Project Sunrise A350s.

So there'll be 787s or A350s with business class flatbeds and premium economy recliners doing Aussie trancons (4-6 hours), into Asia and back (6-11 hours) and to the US (up to 16 hours) [again I'm hearing the 787s will be more likely AU/Asia while the A350s will lean towards Asia/US).

The idea is that this commonality will make it easier to move aircraft right around the network including swaps when any go tech, while having other cost-saving / efficiency benefits, and also offering 100% product/experience consistency (eg you could fly PER-SYD-DFW in premium economy all the way).

TomYoung

I'll cross my fingers that they choose the A350 rather than 787. I have yet to feel comfortable in one of the latter.

However my biggest fear is the number of A321s they buying. Only people from Europe seem to begrudgingly accept them and that is due to the appalling way passengers there allow themselves to be treated. Of course there was one favourable comment and I will not offer a prize of US$100 for guessing who made that. I hope that the A321s are all confined to China service or transferred to UO but there just seem to be too many of them for that. I honestly don't understand it. Buying them by the dozen just seems to be the action of a suicidal premium airline. East Asia is not Europe or continental US. Distances are far greater. People here still seek quality and many can afford and are willing to pay for it.

peasant

SQ - 23 737, JAL 42 737, NH about 80 737 & A320, China Airlines 20 A320 & 737, EVA 18 A32, KE 30-40 narrow bodies GA 40 737, MH 45 737. Pretty much all East Asia airlines have large fleets of narrowbodies.

In the last 20 years, Lion Air, Scoot, Air Asia, Cebu Pacific etc (Indigo if you include India) have outgrown premium airlines. Exceptions are China and Japan (and domestic flying in Japan has always been a low cost product, you always only got a cup of tea and a bag of nuts)

oldchinahand

Not exactly correct Tom -many premium airlines operate the type as also do many Asian premium airlines as well as major low cost operators including Cathay's Hong Kong Express who will take the majority of Cathays order.

American airlines is the biggest US user of the aircraft with almost 300 followed by Delta.....Premium airlines ?
In Asia Korean is a major user with some 40 still to be delivered ANA operates the aircraft and 25 more on order .China Southern and China Easter are also a major users of the type as is Asiana Airlines Beijing Capital Airlines, EVA, and Turkish who have about 70 of the type. Not forgetting Air Asia who have 362 of the type on order with some already delivered and Vietjet have over 70 on order and already operating. Air New Zealand operates 11 of the aircraft with more ordered.
Cathays orders across its 2 airlines are small by comparison..

sbs2716g

meanwhile SIQ employee gotten 6.65 months profit Sharing bonus plus 1 1/2 month ex-gratia payment. In addition to any performance bonus.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/busi...rofits-3497551

percysmith

Narrowbodies are a fact of life. Australia and the US too.

Not sure how airlines are supposed to keep their frequencies high enough to serve their business travellers without narrowbodies.