Here's one HKG guy's opinion:
When I was in the US military, I hung my ass out, got shot at, tangled with MiGs and accepted all the stuff that came with signing the blank check to Uncle Sam. Now I'm a civilian.
I fly FedEx aircraft because I'm willing to trade my time, my skills and accepting a fairly large portion of the responsibility in moving an aircraft from A to B in exchange for money. Period. Dot.
Whether or not I get some additional professional satisfaction from the job, delivering the purple promise or enjoy working with my fellow pilots is irrelevant in light of what we're now facing.
Is the media hyping this situation? Probably so. Are the local and international politicians playing a huge game of CYA? You bet they are. But, people transiting China and now other Asian countries are contracting this virus. They're being forced into quarantine and in some cases they're dying. The bottom line is that someone living and working in the US isn't subjected to to the risks that HKG based pilots are. Aside from the risks while we're working and transiting China or deadheading on flights with potential carriers, now we're being denied medical care if we've been in China (our major sort location and the actual hub we fly out of). We're now being told that when we return from flying in and out of China for a week or two that we will be subject to a self-imposed quarantine for two-weeks.
So - here's the deal FedEx: I took this gig because I decided the trade off of my time and offering my skills was worth the paycheck you were offering. I'm not going to put my life or my family member's life at risk out of some sense of duty to the purple promise. Pilots whose families are in theater with little kids at home should be thinking very hard about whether they're even willing to show up for their next trip. If the only reason they're even considering it is because they're on probation, then shame on you FedEx.
If you want your freight moved, then you pay to move it. You offer whatever it takes - check that - much more than it takes to get willing pilots to show up and do the job. You jump through hoops to ensure that every single pilot that flies your aircraft is as protected as they can be. If someone isn't willing to move your freight while risking their own health and that of their families then you let them opt out with no questions asked. Send them back to the US to fly there if you want them gainfully employed for their paycheck. Offer big money to the pilots who are in a position to take the risks that will move your freight. They may not be HKG pilots but maybe they'll come this way and do the job if the price is right.
Just don't expect us to show up for work as if the only thing we need is a mask and some hand sanitizer. I study and prep for recurrent. I make sure I'm as ready as I can be for every revenue flight and I bring my A game. But, this is just a job. I do it for money and time off when I can put some of that money to use. If you want more than that, you'd best be jumping through some serious hoops and not not be stingy with the Benjamins. ALPA - we're not in a kumbaya, give me a BZ and pat on the back mood. Hold the line, get the company to open their wallet wide and stop expecting us to just show up out of a sense of duty.
Just one guy's .02
Rant over.