Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific has lost more than half of its senior pilots since late 2019, aircrew union says
- Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association says airline had 3,840 pilots of all ranks in the fourth quarter of 2019 but only 2,417 by last month
- Union chief says morale is low, with recent slow plane taxiing incident at airport stemming from pilot frustration
Hong Kong’s flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has lost more than half of its senior pilots since late 2019, while some of its remaining captains have had their family lives upended after pay and benefits were slashed, an aircrew union has said.
The Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association on Tuesday said the airline had 3,840 pilots of all ranks in the fourth quarter of 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic struck, but only 2,417 by last month.
The association, which represents Cathay pilots, said the number of captains more than halved from 1,410 to 678, while the first officer headcount dropped from 1,740 to 1,074. The number of second officers fell from 690 to 665.
Association chairman Paul Weatherilt said about 1,800 pilots had left Cathay during the pandemic, while 400 had been recruited.
In response, a Cathay spokeswoman said the attrition rate had normalised across all staff groups, including among pilots.
“We are also pleased to welcome back some 250 Cathay pilots, including captains and first officers, to rejoin the airline,” she said.
“We are on track with our comprehensive plan to recruit top talent to support our operations and drive our rebuilding efforts.”