Cathay Pacific cabin crew back extending retirement age from 55 to 60, internal ballot reveals
Asia’s largest airline must formulate plan with labour unions in manner that does not deepen its financial troubles
Cathay Pacific Airways is poised to extend the retirement age of its 9,000 Hong Kong-based cabin crew from 55 to 60 as early as next year, as a proposal won majority support in an internal ballot.
Some 5,007 of 9,032 cabin crew – or 55 per cent – voted to raise the retirement age,according to an internal memo the Post obtained. About 3,000 people did not cast a ballot and 1,000 opposed the plan, a union said.
This means Asia’s largest airline must fashion a deal with its labour unions such that implementing the new age limit does not deepen its financial burden after losing HK$575 million last year.
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“From the survey, it is clear that different views exist among our people,” an airline spokesman said. “We are sensitive to the fact that some of our people will view the outcome less positively.”
The majority vote enables cabin crew members to push for the retirement age extension. The company’s working group is to finalise details with management later this year.