With that in mind, how long until HK Express gets rebranded to 'Cathay Express'?

Interesting article on their cargo challenges thus far. "The freighter division will be ready for the annual peak-season surge this fall, and partial restoration of passenger capacity to a quarter of pre-pandemic levels will bring overall cargo capacity to 65% by year’s end, various executives said recently."
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cathay-pacific-freighter-fleet-overcomes-double-hell-of-july-typhoons

Speedalive wrote:

Interesting article on their cargo challenges thus far. "The freighter division will be ready for the annual peak-season surge this fall, and partial restoration of passenger capacity to a quarter of pre-pandemic levels will bring overall cargo capacity to 65% by year’s end, various executives said recently."
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cathay-pacific-freighter-fleet-overcomes-double-hell-of-july-typhoons

We are currently restricted by various quarantines etc but for the most part, despite the fact we are flying only a small % of our pre-Covid flights, the number of flights we are doing is close the to the maximum that we are capable of doing at the moment. This will increase slowly as some of the inactive crew are brought back onto the line but there aren't too many of those remaining. We have lost so many crew through resignations that CX will struggle to get back to how things were, although the fleet has shrunk too, so that 'helps'.

Cathay Pacific pilots have to wear protective suits on flights to Chengdu: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... s-to-china

CX Flyboy wrote:

We have lost so many crew through resignations that CX will struggle to get back to how things were, although the fleet has shrunk too, so that 'helps'.

To my knowledge, they haven’t recalled anyone who started in late 2019/early 2020 aside from a few HKID holder cadets so they don’t seem to be in a rush to ramp up operations just yet. The fleet has shrunk significantly as you mentioned so they’ve got some slack.

Speedalive wrote:

CX Flyboy wrote:

We have lost so many crew through resignations that CX will struggle to get back to how things were, although the fleet has shrunk too, so that 'helps'.

To my knowledge, they haven’t recalled anyone who started in late 2019/early 2020 aside from a few HKID holder cadets so they don’t seem to be in a rush to ramp up operations just yet. The fleet has shrunk significantly as you mentioned so they’ve got some slack.

Not sure what you mean but everyone who has been laid off at the start of Covid who is elibigle to return (Residency holders) has already been recalled. Everyone who was in Dragon who is eligible to join CX has pretty much been called (last few stragglers now). The cadets who previously graduated but didnt get their jobs are now being inducted. Recruitment is now starting for DEFOs who will require work visas.

Given the low number of sectors available for training and the need to keep current pilots current, the airline is pretty much ramping things up the fastest they possibly can, even though from the outside it looks very slow.

CX Flyboy wrote:

Not sure what you mean but everyone who has been laid off at the start of Covid who is elibigle to return (Residency holders) has already been recalled.

That is not true, all of the the 100+SOs that were let have go have not been brought back, many of which were checked to line. They have actually brought in KA pilots in to replace them, those pilots have had a full induction, used up training sectors and checked to line before upgrading existing SOS that have been in the company for 6+ years.

Apparently offering bonuses for operating flights to Mainland China and can only operate them if have not been to any other overseas destinations in the past 14 days.
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking ... hina%C2%A0

zeke wrote:

CX Flyboy wrote:

Not sure what you mean but everyone who has been laid off at the start of Covid who is elibigle to return (Residency holders) has already been recalled.

That is not true, all of the the 100+SOs that were let have go have not been brought back, many of which were checked to line. They have actually brought in KA pilots in to replace them, those pilots have had a full induction, used up training sectors and checked to line before upgrading existing SOS that have been in the company for 6+ years.

They have all been given dates of join as far as I know, even though some of those dates have not happened yet. Some of them have chosen to delay rejoining because they have been busy doing studies or with their own businesses. Ive been told that there is no-one who hasn't been given a date of join yet who wants to come back asap.

I recall seeing that the BOSTON route, upon its return, would be 2X weekly. But surprisingly, it seems to be way more frequent than that, with the A350-1000. Nice to see.

There were actually 2 A350-1000s at Terminal E the other night, not sure if one was for students ant the other passengers, but, still good to see

chrisnh wrote:

I recall seeing that the BOSTON route, upon its return, would be 2X weekly. But surprisingly, it seems to be way more frequent than that, with the A350-1000. Nice to see.

normally when they announce those frequencies, they are referring to passenger flights. Then on FlightRadar you might notice many more flights many of which will be cargo-only flights. The vast majority of our operation at the moment is cargo-only.

CX Flyboy wrote:

zeke wrote:

CX Flyboy wrote:

Not sure what you mean but everyone who has been laid off at the start of Covid who is elibigle to return (Residency holders) has already been recalled.

That is not true, all of the the 100+SOs that were let have go have not been brought back, many of which were checked to line. They have actually brought in KA pilots in to replace them, those pilots have had a full induction, used up training sectors and checked to line before upgrading existing SOS that have been in the company for 6+ years.

They have all been given dates of join as far as I know, even though some of those dates have not happened yet. Some of them have chosen to delay rejoining because they have been busy doing studies or with their own businesses. Ive been told that there is no-one who hasn't been given a date of join yet who wants to come back asap.

If that were the case, I would’ve heard something. So far it’s been radio silence.

Speedalive wrote:

CX Flyboy wrote:

zeke wrote:

That is not true, all of the the 100+SOs that were let have go have not been brought back, many of which were checked to line. They have actually brought in KA pilots in to replace them, those pilots have had a full induction, used up training sectors and checked to line before upgrading existing SOS that have been in the company for 6+ years.

They have all been given dates of join as far as I know, even though some of those dates have not happened yet. Some of them have chosen to delay rejoining because they have been busy doing studies or with their own businesses. Ive been told that there is no-one who hasn't been given a date of join yet who wants to come back asap.

If that were the case, I would’ve heard something. So far it’s been radio silence.

Are you waiting to rejoin? Perhaps touch base with them and clarify the reason they have not contacted you.

zkojq wrote:

With that in mind, how long until HK Express gets rebranded to 'Cathay Express'?

Did HK Express get KA route HKG-CCU?

Chief customer and commercial officer, Ronald Lam, forecast the airline will be operating at 1/3 of its pre-COVID passenger capacity by year-end.

http://orientaviation.com/articles/8490 ... rgeting-33%-of-pre-pandemic-capacity-by-december

If HK fully scraps it's quarantine requirements, is it likely that CX will face the same problems and pressures that most European airlines (with the exception of AF and IB maybe) experienced this summer?

The way they have described the quarantine capping, it would be 0+7. Meaning you would be free to go to work, school, public transport, shopping as long as your initial PCR test is negative, but you would have to wait 7 days for bars, clubs, and restaurants. So it would be ok residents, but not good for visitors. Let's assume that is what happens. They'll probably need 1/3 to 1/2 the flights restored quickly because lots of people (read whiny expats) will want to go to Taiwan, Penang, Singapore, or Thailand for quickie holidays just to be somewhere else new and I think those places you can just rock up to now.

I think they need an accommodation for visitors. My idea would be to allow certain establishments to opt in to allow for visitors as long as the staff is fully vaxxed and they have proper spacing and controls for seating. It won't work for clubs, sorry. But they could do something for bars and restaurants.

Then they need to promise that they will not restore changes or roll anything back. The new government under John Lee is well aware of this last point--that any changes they make they need to be confident to keep in place for public trust. Public trust is hanging by a thread here if it exists at all.

At best, this will start to restore some stability. Ironically, the rumors of 0+7 only really started in Singtao paper (with no longer being denied by government officials), after we lost the dragonboat races to Thailand. Everything else they seemed happy to let go.

J343 wrote:

If HK fully scraps it's quarantine requirements, is it likely that CX will face the same problems and pressures that most European airlines (with the exception of AF and IB maybe) experienced this summer?

The airline is roughly 1600 pilots short of being able to operate their 2019 CX/KA (Dragon) schedule. However we also do not have as many planes as back then but certainly it will be a slow measured ramp-up of services as new crew are slowly training up (Assuming they can stem the flow of resignations). Also there is a shortage of engineering staff and general ground staff so yes I think it is likely there will be problems like we have seen overseas.

CX will start passenger flights to Nepal soon, although 1 weekly flight was initially planned it seems like they are going for 2x A333. The last Cathay passenger flight before this was on Dragon's A333 so I'm happy this will remain a wide body route.

https://airwaysmag.com/cathay-begins-nepal-october/

CX is resuming flight to Tokyo Haneda on Nov 1 and Sapporo on Dec 1

They are also looking to purchase new cargo planes, either 777-8F or A350F

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking ... r-opens-up
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... argo-fleet

Rapidpie wrote:

CX is resuming flight to Tokyo Haneda on Nov 1 and Sapporo on Dec 1

They are also looking to purchase new cargo planes, either 777-8F or A350F

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking ... r-opens-up
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... argo-fleet

I smell a conversion of B777-9s into B777-8Fs coming up for this order...

Cheers!

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

Flight time planned at 16hr11m, 100 empty seats, 9tonnes short of MTOW, 7.5 tonnes of cargo. Not too bad.

CX Flyboy wrote:

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

Flight time planned at 16hr11m, 100 empty seats, 9tonnes short of MTOW, 7.5 tonnes of cargo. Not too bad.

Thanks, not too bad indeed. The 100 empty seats are intentionally blocked or because it was an emptier flight than usual? Would they be able to carry full pax by forgoing all cargo?

nomadabroad wrote:

CX Flyboy wrote:

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

Flight time planned at 16hr11m, 100 empty seats, 9tonnes short of MTOW, 7.5 tonnes of cargo. Not too bad.

Thanks, not too bad indeed. The 100 empty seats are intentionally blocked or because it was an emptier flight than usual? Would they be able to carry full pax by forgoing all cargo?

I can't see why they would block the seats if the MTOW hasn't been reached yet, and no, if there was no cargo on board they wouldn't be able to carry all the passengers and their baggage. Throw in a wet or slushy runway, or high summer temperatures and the restrictions would be a little worse.

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

I did this flight in August, and it was just over 17 hours. Everything was normal through Alaska, then a skirted Russian airspace before resuming the normal path over Japan. The only difference is we went over Mainland China, which usually the flights go over Japan to Taiwan, then over to HK. Ours was a full flight and we still had quarantine upon landing so most people were transferring.

Per TV news, Cathay's LCC, HK Express, cancelled flights after Jan 15 en masse. Chinese New Year is also affected. Official explanation is they need to review arrangement of personnel

Does anyone know how many crews are recruited in CX recruitment day

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

I don't think that is correct. Flight times on FR24 are on average 16:30-16:50 with the longest 17:38 on 2 Aug and the shortest 15:27 on 11 Jul. Winter season has very bad winds, but it should not hit 18h33m.

AngMoh wrote:

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

I don't think that is correct. Flight times on FR24 are on average 16:30-16:50 with the longest 17:38 on 2 Aug and the shortest 15:27 on 11 Jul. Winter season has very bad winds, but it should not hit 18h33m.

https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/ ... /KJFK/VHHH

Am not making things up as well.

nomadabroad wrote:

AngMoh wrote:

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

I don't think that is correct. Flight times on FR24 are on average 16:30-16:50 with the longest 17:38 on 2 Aug and the shortest 15:27 on 11 Jul. Winter season has very bad winds, but it should not hit 18h33m.

https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/ ... /KJFK/VHHH

Am not making things up as well.

According to that link 0:39 EDT was the gate departure and the plane didn’t actually take off until about 2 hrs 20 min later at 2:56 EDT.

Note that the 18h33min is travel time, not flight time.

nomadabroad wrote:

AngMoh wrote:

nomadabroad wrote:

Is CX845 (JFK-HKG) now officially the longest A35K flight in the world?

8800 miles, the flight on Monday was in fact 18h33m, wondering what the payload restrictions looks like on that flight, assuming little to no cargo carried?

I don't think that is correct. Flight times on FR24 are on average 16:30-16:50 with the longest 17:38 on 2 Aug and the shortest 15:27 on 11 Jul. Winter season has very bad winds, but it should not hit 18h33m.

https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/ ... /KJFK/VHHH

Am not making things up as well.

https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/CPA845/history

Actual flying time was 16:15.

Cathay to resume Russian overflights to save flight time.

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/tra ... axed-march

Very pragmatic decision. Avoiding Russian airspace creates operational and financial harm to CX.

I can already envisage many other carriers following CX’s footsteps, regarding the return of Russian and Siberia overflights.

can CX avoid sanctions issues? If they pay Russian Federation ATC fees etc through a bank with US/EU business connections is that not going to be a problem??
Or maybe they will pay cash a la HK Chief Executive salaries.

trex8 wrote:

can CX avoid sanctions issues? If they pay Russian Federation ATC fees etc through a bank with US/EU business connections is that not going to be a problem??
Or maybe they will pay cash a la HK Chief Executive salaries.

A ton of airlines operate via Russian airspace, and many still operate to Russia itself.

Dont see an issue for Cathay.

trex8 wrote:

can CX avoid sanctions issues? If they pay Russian Federation ATC fees etc through a bank with US/EU business connections is that not going to be a problem??
Or maybe they will pay cash a la HK Chief Executive salaries.

Cathay claim they aren't subjected to any sanctions that would prevent them from flying over Russia
https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E5%9C%8B%E6% ... 22812.html

Hong Kong is China, and China is a friend of Russia. Cathay stopped flying over Russia not because they were ordered to.

Ronald Lam appointed new CEO effecive January 1st.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerosp ... 022-11-09/

Cathay CEO estimates recovery to pre-pandemic capacity levels not before December 2024.

http://orientaviation.com/articles/8807 ... ty-not-100%-restored-to-pre-covid-19-levels-until-december-2024

Looks like the last international pilot base has closed now.

https://simpleflying.com/cathay-pacific ... seas-base/

The airline no longer has any foreign pilot bases.

As of November 1, 2022, Cathay Pacific no longer has any foreign-based pilots. Most recently, Cathay Pacific shut down its pilot bases in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, which were the last international bases remaining.


https://onemileatatime.com/news/cathay- ... i6KdQkU4So

Even though job opportunities for pilots are abundant in the US right now, having to start over on an airline seniority list and payscale mid-career - particularly if you've been flying 777s long-haul, has got to be majorly demotivating.

Wonder Cathay will ever go back to being the airline it was, probably not!

What a hard, terrible fall from the top tier for CX. Such a shame to see it. I feel for the crews, and echo Cory above.
It’s a consolation prize, but if they feel like flying for UA, new hires are going to widebodies right now.

panam330 wrote:

What a hard, terrible fall from the top tier for CX. Such a shame to see it. I feel for the crews, and echo Cory above.
It’s a consolation prize, but if they feel like flying for UA, new hires are going to widebodies right now.

Sadly inevitable as the money flees to Singapore.

Delete

Sounds like a bit over 100 pilots between those bases and over 60 left CX instead of transfer.