Dragonair pilot exodus
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Six captains resigned in the space of a week this month, and 34 first officers and captains have handed in their notice in the past six months, pilots were quoted saying, blaming a long-running dispute over rosters and pay.
The newspaper said on October 13, eight flights were cancelled – including five between Hong Kong and Shanghai and two between Hong Kong and Taipei. Crew shortage was cited in these cases.
SCMP quoted pilots claiming that managers had refused to implement a rostering agreement to ease the strain on pilots handling a growing volume of flights and overnight stops. However, Dragonair, which has around 400, mostly expatriate, pilots, was quoted saying that it was feeling the impact of a worldwide shortage of cockpit crew.
The newspaper quoted a senior pilot as saying: “I have never seen morale so low. Pilots are leaving because they’re thoroughly fed up with the management. We have asked for a roster agreement for years and years.”
The report said pilots were leaving to join Korean Air, Emirates and Air China.
Cathay Pacific took over the airline a year ago in a HK$12 billion (US$1.55 billion) deal.
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