Cathay to make pilot pay changes after 'slow taxiing'
Cathay Pacific on Friday said pilots will no longer lose out on wages if their planes reach airport gates ahead of schedule, after reports some were deliberately taxiing at slower speeds to boost their pay packets. From October, pilots will be paid based on their roster hours or the actual time flown, whichever is higher, rather than on the duration of their flights.  Paul Weatherilt, who chairs the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association, told RTHK he isn't sure whether it is the slow taxiing complaints that have sparked Cathay's move, but the change will bring the company in line with industry standards. "Most airlines have a scheduled length of time [for their flights]. If you manage to complete the flight in a shorter time, you get paid for the longer scheduled time. And so there is an incentive for efficient operation and it's the way pretty much every other airline around the world pays their pilots," he said. Weatherilt said while the change means Cathay pilots will no longer be penalised for being efficient, it will not affect their pay much and won't boost their morale. "When you have such deep pay cuts and reductions in all sorts of benefits, this small adjustment to the way pay is measured is meaningless. So no, it won't have any effect," he said. "If Cathay wants to recover, if it wants to attract and retain pilots, it's going to have to seriously address the fact that its pilots have choices and can go elsewhere." Weatherilt said the airline should sit down with union representatives to explore ways to solve its current manpower shortage. In its announcement of the pay changes, the airline said it will continue to review the competitiveness of remuneration and benefits for its pilots, and will make changes where suitable and sustainable.