Last updated at 7.05pm: Cathay Pacific pilots on Wednesday morning voted overwhelmingly to go on strike from July 1, if a deal on pay and working conditions could not be reached.
In a two-hour meeting held by the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA), over 90 per cent of its 1,260 members voted for industrial action, which could create chaos during the peak flight season.
According to the HKAOA, the pilots are demanding pay rises of between 17 and 32 per cent, longer annual and maternity leave, as well as improvements to the roster system.
''They kept talking about the limited industrial action to threaten the public and the tourists. We deeply regret that,'' said Lisa Wong Lai-shan, corporate communications manager of the airline.
''We are willing to negotiate with the pilots,'' another Cathay spokesman said. ''We would do our best to reach an agreement so our passengers would not be affected.''
General secretary of the HKAOA John Findlay refused to disclose details of the industrial action but said once it was started, there would be no time frame to its ending.
While the employer said the whole issue was about money, the pilots said it was much broader than this.