Cathay Pacific offers improved pay deal in bid to end pilots' dispute
Disruption still possible as cockpit crew union sees improved deal as only a 'stepping stone'
Cathay Pacific Airways has made an improved pay offer to its pilots in a bid to end a long-running dispute that could trigger a work-to-rule by cockpit crew over the peak summer travel period.
The offer was tabled on Friday afternoon at the end of a week of intensive talks between airline officials and the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA) to try to end the year-long deadlock over pay and rosters.
The offer, however, is being viewed by the union as a stepping stone rather than a solution. Mediation sessions are now expected to be held in the coming weeks and if those fail, HKAOA members may yet declare a work-to-rule, also known as contract compliance, which could hit summer flights
HKAOA general secretary Chris Beebe, a former US airline pilot, said: "We had a week of negotiations that showed some promise but we still have much work to do.
"It could still be a very long hot summer from the consumers' point of view.
"The committee is determining what they will do next. We do have mediation scheduled and we hope to move expeditiously on this."