info about life in Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific..

[vangirl]

Hi there,
I'm hoping someone can help me out with some information....my boyfriend is currently interviewing with Cathay, and I'm trying to be a supportive girlfriend, but I have some questions that I can't find answers to, mostly about pilot schedules. I fully understand that he will be away at times, but being alone at home (British Columbia, Canada) is one thing, being in HK may be another story. I would be really excited to go in many respects, I just want to be prepared for what life would really be like, so that I don't end up being resentful of things that he can't control.
Does anyone have a significant other that works for Cathay (B-scale) that could tell me something about the time they spend away (how many days at a time, how many days off per month on average that they are actually off and at home) and also give me some idea of how Cathay's pay on the new lower scale measures up. Is it still manageable to live/save some money based on what they are providing? We both want some of these answers so that we can make the right decision.
Thanks so much!

[Lurker]

Well I'm out here in HK although my BF isn't with CX so I can't tell you that much about trips and rostas but it is commonly known that CX is probably the highest paying airline in the world with a fantastic reputation to the point that CX pilots/families out here are renowned for leading extremely cushy lives.

There is a whole area where the majority of the pilots and their families live called Discovery Bay which is considered a great area for kids/community feel etc....but I tell you this - adapting to life here isn't easy and you can fall into a trap quickly because of the expense of everything - and I mean, everything. Schooling, housing - the lot...I think HKG is still one of the worlds top 3 most expensive places to live and it can be a very miserable and lonely place for expats if you are not cut out for it.

Discovery Bay has its own website so you might want to google for it and then post a message asking for CX wives to get in touch with you.

If you want to know anything else though about life here - feel free to ask. The website www.asiaxpat.com.hk is good for research too - there are many forums on there that reveal a lot.