Cathay Pacific invitation for an interview
 

I received an email from Cathay Pacific inviting me to attend the initial interview for Second Officer Transition Training Program.

Cathay Pacific is an airline that as sparked my interest for a long time. I'm excited for this opportunity and can't wait for the interview.

What are your thoughts for those of you who work fot Cathay Pacific or from those who are familiar with the company?

Any info on this offer and what to expect at the interview would help.

Thanks

There are 35 different threads that pop up if you search 'Cathay Pacific' in the title alone.
If you haven't read some of those threads yet, I'm betting that many of your questions would be answered.

USMCFLYR

Use caution. Check the terms carefully as they have recently lowered the pay and housing allowances to the point where it may be difficult to live in HK on the money you will be making.

I think this is going to be the problem. There are still lots of people who just hear the name Cathay Pacific and assume it is still this legacy airline. Which it still could be but just not at these current conditions. Hopefully all the newbe's will do some research and learn a). you can't afford to live in Hong Kong under the current conditions and b). it is significantly less than they were offering just a mere 2.5 years ago! Nothing has changed financially for them, its actually just gotten better after the recession with record profits of $1.6-1.8 billion usd. There is no reason for CX to offer these conditions.

Sorry for the vent. I want to work for Cathay too, but I will not under these conditions. Good luck...

Yeah that's my fear. I don't want to be stuck in a position that I can't get out of.

I have plenty of time before the interveiw to think about it and do my research.

Maybe I'll just hold out for Air Canada.

Employment is voluntary, What do you mean a situation you can't get out of? you don't have to work for anyone you don't want to. Interview, ask questions and try to talk to guys that are actually flying the line there, It is always a good Idea to find a popular watering hole and talk to line guys about a particular job and If you do get a job offer, only then is when you do have a decision to make.

I don't know if they have a training contract or not. I don't want to get caught up in that. I'm def going to go to the interview to see what they have to offer. And whether I'm offered the job or not, pilot jobs don't come and go like working at a fast food chain to where you can just jump around as you please from airline to airline. I don't what to leave a somewhat OK job for what turns out to be a bad gig somewhere else and be stuck there for several years wasting my life away and not be able to get hired somewhere else. I've heard and read of several stories of poepl who are there and are miserable living in Hong Kong. But I do understand that anything you do in this industry is a calculated risk. We'll see how it goes.

Welcome to the decision making process in aviation, there are no guarantees! there is certainly no guarantee you will get a job offer since most people don't pass the interview, only when you do get a job offer is when you have a decision to make. I just find it strange that you are looking for justifications to turn a job down that haven't been offered to you

You will have a training contract for 6 years....if you leave before your 6 yrs is up you will owe them around HKG 1.2 million. I hope you do understand that SO don't fly the airplane....you will not be typed...So after 6 yrs if you want to leave you have nothing to show for it....if you are looking at CX you have to look at them as long term..around 10 yrs....the problem you will face by than is that you can live in HKG on HKG $14,000 a month housing...under the old T&C you would of be getting around $58,000 to $64,000 in housing....now you do the math...