CX offered bonuses ‘to keep the best people in the industry’

Cathay Pacific has announced that its employees will receive a bonus equivalent to one month’s salary, after the airline said it had seen good results this year.

Alex McGowan, director of operations and service delivery, said Tuesday he feels the company needs to find ways to keep the best people in the industry.

“In the future, we of course always want to keep our compensation competitive so that we can attract and retain the best people. We’re very pleased, I think, over the last year that we’ve seen our turnover rates, our attrition rates, especially in our pilot community, drop to levels that we haven’t seen in decades, not even before the pandemic,” he said.

“But pilot turnover is now at historic lows, and I hope this is testament to the fact that our pilots enjoy working for Cathay and the opportunities that working for Cathay offers.”

The group in August reported a net profit of HK$3.6 billion for the first half of the year, but this was down 15% compared with the same period in 2023. It recorded a 14% increase in revenue for the year to HK$49, 6 billion. for the same period.

McGowan was speaking to reporters following a ceremony celebrating the order for up to 150 Airbus aircraft, during which group CEO Ronald Lam said the expansion and modernization of the Cathay fleet comes as Hong Kong International Airport becomes prepares to open its three lanes. system at the end of the year.

“From 2026, we will begin receiving the second order for our narrow-body passenger aircraft, which will consist of A321neo and A320neo for both the Cathay Pacific and HK Express fleet,” he said.

“So from 2027, we will start receiving the A350 freighter to expand our cargo fleet, so that we can continue to strengthen Hong Kong’s number one air cargo hub status. From 2028, we will start receiving new A330s aircraft, the new generation A330,” Lam added.