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Old Apr 16, 2020, 10:15 pm
  #1  
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Cathay to close all US cabin crew bases

Cathay will close all US cabin crew bases (SFO, LAX, JFK) effective from June onwards.

sad. I’ll miss the SFO base
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 10:16 pm
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Apple Daily today just reported that CX has fired all US based cabin crew...
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 10:54 pm
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...-cabin-crew-us
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Old Apr 16, 2020, 11:46 pm
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There will be consequence for CX.

Specifically, CX intentionally shut down the entire U.S. crew bases because they were just recently unionized under AFA.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 12:43 am
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Is there actually any legal requirement for airlines to operate a US crew base? I would imagine CX only really had a US crew base to begin with to enjoy certain tax benefits or reduction in fees, etc from having one... Otherwise, it made very little sense to operate all these crew bases around the world...
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 1:03 am
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The US-based CX FAs just ratified their contracts last August.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 1:26 am
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Originally Posted by tfung
Is there actually any legal requirement for airlines to operate a US crew base?
No.

Originally Posted by tfung
Otherwise, it made very little sense to operate all these crew bases around the world...
It is for operation reasons, such as backup crews.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 1:53 am
  #8  
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It is sad but not unexpected given the current situation.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 2:05 am
  #9  
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I believe the main reason for the bases is reduced costs and allowances in housing the crew at Cathay City vs at outports. But given labour laws in other countries and the already low cost of labour in HK, I can’t believe the savings in allowances ever really made the bases worth it.

Will London be next?
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 2:25 am
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Originally Posted by sxc
I believe the main reason for the bases is reduced costs and allowances in housing the crew at Cathay City vs at outports. But given labour laws in other countries and the already low cost of labour in HK, I can’t believe the savings in allowances ever really made the bases worth it.

Will London be next?
Not surprising if they're going to reduce the # of LHR based crew if not laying off entirely. I also see little benefits that CX maintains their SIN based crew. I can't imagine there are much cost savings in having SIN based vs HKG re: operating the regional flights.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 2:31 am
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0293 goes into the weekend up 3.88%...
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 2:39 am
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Originally Posted by G-CIVC
Cathay will close all US cabin crew bases (SFO, LAX, JFK) effective from June onwards.

sad. I’ll miss the SFO base
When YYZ-based were closed, I was made aware that CX planned to take out the whole NA-based crew in the next few years. Regardless of political and economic complications on CX or the world, it was bound to happen, and CX decided it would much less cost to terminate their employment with severance package instead of negotiating with AFA representing 300 CX crew in the US base. This pandemic just helped expedite the process. Some crew were great, while some crew were not. They had the opportunity to apply to US/CA Airlines after the pandemic settled. Majority of YYZ crew moved to AC after their stations were closed.

Unfortunately, it’s not surprising.

Last edited by PaulInTheSky; Apr 17, 2020 at 4:31 am
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 2:47 am
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Originally Posted by sxc
I believe the main reason for the bases is reduced costs and allowances in housing the crew at Cathay City vs at outports. But given labour laws in other countries and the already low cost of labour in HK, I can’t believe the savings in allowances ever really made the bases worth it.

Will London be next?
As long as SWIRE has majority of stakes on CX, the LHR base stays. What we should be focused on is whether or not air traffic can return to normal within a few months. If not, then either the staff has to take on the second-wave of SLS, or they have to go.

Imho, cases in South America, South Africa, and India are starting to go up. I don’t see the air traffic back to normal for this year.
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 3:30 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by sxc
Will London be next?
No, as soon as the U.K. adopts law and/or regulations similar to EC261/2004 with similar compensation
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Old Apr 17, 2020, 4:39 am
  #15  
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No, as soon as the U.K. adopts law and/or regulations similar to EC261/2004 with similar compensation
What has EC261/2004 to do with that?
EC261/2004 still fully applies in the UK.
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