Cathay FAs: Bah Humbug!
12-13-2012, 09:48 AM
#1
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Cathay FAs: Bah Humbug!
Good Ruck With Dat! 
From Associated Press:
Flight attendants at Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific Airways are threatening to withhold food, alcohol and even smiles from passengers during the Christmas holidays over a pay dispute, a union official said Thursday.
Cabin staff at the airline, which has a reputation for top-notch service, voted at a union meeting this week in favor of industrial action that could also result in flight delays.
The union is demanding a 5 percent pay increase but the airline, which is struggling to cut costs after posting a first-half loss of 935 million Hong Kong dollars ($120.5 million), has offered 2 percent and a 13th month bonus.
The Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union will soon announce when the action approved in the vote will be carried out, General Secretary Tsang Kwok-fung said.
"We may not provide alcoholic drinks to our passengers, or we may not even provide meals to passengers," in which case the union would advise travelers to bring their own food and drinks, said Tsang.
Limited service could also include withholding smiles and greetings from passengers.
"We cannot smile because of the situation, because of how the company treats us," Tsang said.
The union is also considering working to rule, which involves doing no more than the minimum work required in contracts and precisely following safety regulations. Such tactics could include strictly enforcing size limits on hand luggage or waiting for all cleaning staff to leave the plane before boarding. The measures could delay flights by 20 to 30 minutes, Tsang said.
Some 1,600 of the union's nearly 6,000 members voted on Monday for industrial action after negotiations with the airline broke down.
The union is also considering a strike as a last resort, but not until the new year.
Cathay took out ads in Hong Kong newspapers on Thursday saying it's waiting to hear back from the union on an invitation to hold further talks. "We fully understand how important it is not to disrupt passengers at this busy time," the airline said.
The airline has "comprehensive contingency plans" to ensure normal operations over the holidays, Chief Operating Officer Ivan Chu said at a press briefing. He wouldn't give details.
----
Online:
Flight attendants union: http://www.cpafau.org.hk
Cathay Pacific: Online Flight Bookings, Ticket Bookings, Airfares, Promotions - Cathay Pacific International
From Associated Press:
Flight attendants at Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific Airways are threatening to withhold food, alcohol and even smiles from passengers during the Christmas holidays over a pay dispute, a union official said Thursday.
Cabin staff at the airline, which has a reputation for top-notch service, voted at a union meeting this week in favor of industrial action that could also result in flight delays.
The union is demanding a 5 percent pay increase but the airline, which is struggling to cut costs after posting a first-half loss of 935 million Hong Kong dollars ($120.5 million), has offered 2 percent and a 13th month bonus.
The Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union will soon announce when the action approved in the vote will be carried out, General Secretary Tsang Kwok-fung said.
"We may not provide alcoholic drinks to our passengers, or we may not even provide meals to passengers," in which case the union would advise travelers to bring their own food and drinks, said Tsang.
Limited service could also include withholding smiles and greetings from passengers.
"We cannot smile because of the situation, because of how the company treats us," Tsang said.
The union is also considering working to rule, which involves doing no more than the minimum work required in contracts and precisely following safety regulations. Such tactics could include strictly enforcing size limits on hand luggage or waiting for all cleaning staff to leave the plane before boarding. The measures could delay flights by 20 to 30 minutes, Tsang said.
Some 1,600 of the union's nearly 6,000 members voted on Monday for industrial action after negotiations with the airline broke down.
The union is also considering a strike as a last resort, but not until the new year.
Cathay took out ads in Hong Kong newspapers on Thursday saying it's waiting to hear back from the union on an invitation to hold further talks. "We fully understand how important it is not to disrupt passengers at this busy time," the airline said.
The airline has "comprehensive contingency plans" to ensure normal operations over the holidays, Chief Operating Officer Ivan Chu said at a press briefing. He wouldn't give details.
----
Online:
Flight attendants union: http://www.cpafau.org.hk
Cathay Pacific: Online Flight Bookings, Ticket Bookings, Airfares, Promotions - Cathay Pacific International
12-14-2012, 06:36 PM
#2
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HK isn't a Crown Colony anymore; it's a "special" economic zone of China - not exactly a bastion of liberal unionism. It'll be interesting to see how long the commissars put up with this, if in fact the "girls" are foolish enough to carry it through. Anybody working there and care to chime in? What's really going on?
12-14-2012, 07:04 PM
#4
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Gee...just like many F/As with US carriers no smiles, proper customer service, food, or grog. That said customers of US carriers that to fly CX should right at home the "Bah Humbug" atmosphere.
12-14-2012, 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by LNL76
Surely, you're not suggesting crappy or lack of food/grog is the FAs fault, are you dear?
to the curb...!!!!!! Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!
12-14-2012, 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by LNL76
Surely, you're not suggesting crappy or lack of food/grog is the FAs fault, are you dear?
I choose to purchase a full fare ticket and travel in my civies. I don't want to be identified as part of the industry by my fellow passengers, nor labled as "Oh no.. another self deserving skipper" by the F/As.
To answer your question LNL76, no, its not the crappy food or grog... just the crappy attitude and or the inability to get more than one glass for soda on a five hour transcontinental sector. Especially when the cabin is less than one third occupied.
I have no beef about the age thing. I do however have an issue the way my fellow traveling sponsors that make the paychecks possible are treated.
As in any occupation or company… when there’s dissatisfaction, one does have a clear choice... either shift to another company, or find another field of employment.
12-15-2012, 04:06 AM
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Posts: 2,850
Originally Posted by 2bennySODC6
Wether he suggests it or not, I will continue to believe that the majority of FA's over 37 years of age, are just plain old let downs...!!! Their negative/poor attitude destroys the whole customer experience. Instead of booting the Captain out at 65, they need to kick all the granny's to the curb...!!!!!!
Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!:
Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaa !!!!!:
Originally Posted by 2bennySODC6
I take back what I said about kicking the big 65 year olds out. I think, they too should walk hand in hand with the granny FA's when these flight crew members hit 50 1/2..
Damn......!!!!!
Damn......!!!!!
Do you realize how sophomoric and ignorant you sound?
If you were in HR, you'd be hit with all sorts of age discrimination lawsuits.Scary to think they actually let you at the controls of an aircraft. If I knew which airline you worked at, I'd avoid it at all costs.
Your parents must be sooo proud of raising such a respectful young man. Hey all pilots who are older -- RETIRE ALREADY -- another member of the "entitlement generation" who was raised to get whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted -- wants you OUT OF HIS SEAT!.
Now run along junior, the grown-ups are talking.
Last edited by LNL76; 12-15-2012 at 04:40 AM.
12-15-2012, 04:10 AM
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Posts: 2,850
Originally Posted by captjns
I never take the jump seat or "ZED FARE" route when traveling to my gateway airport to or from work.
I choose to purchase a full fare ticket and travel in my civies. I don't want to be identified as part of the industry by my fellow passengers, nor labled as "Oh no.. another self deserving skipper" by the F/As.
To answer your question LNL76, no, its not the crappy food or grog... just the crappy attitude and or the inability to get more than one glass for soda on a five hour transcontinental sector. Especially when the cabin is less than one third occupied.
I have no beef about the age thing. I do however have an issue the way my fellow traveling sponsors that make the paychecks possible are treated.
As in any occupation or company… when there’s dissatisfaction, one does have a clear choice... either shift to another company, or find another field of employment.
I choose to purchase a full fare ticket and travel in my civies. I don't want to be identified as part of the industry by my fellow passengers, nor labled as "Oh no.. another self deserving skipper" by the F/As.
To answer your question LNL76, no, its not the crappy food or grog... just the crappy attitude and or the inability to get more than one glass for soda on a five hour transcontinental sector. Especially when the cabin is less than one third occupied.
I have no beef about the age thing. I do however have an issue the way my fellow traveling sponsors that make the paychecks possible are treated.
As in any occupation or company… when there’s dissatisfaction, one does have a clear choice... either shift to another company, or find another field of employment.
I agree about crappy service. I've been a victim of it myself on both US AND foreign carriers.
I agree wholeheartedly with your last sentence, though. It's a shame an airline will hire someone young who got into the field for the wrong reasons and is lazy/surly and passes up someone older who actually has manners, empathy and knows how to treat people. (Of course I'm not saying all young FAs are bad and all older FAs are good, but you're intelligent enough to get the point, Captain.)
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