Cathay Pacific close to sealing deal to end dispute with pilots

Cathay Pacific has said it is close to sealing a deal in a long-running dispute with pilots over pay, allowances and working schedules, despite scepticism from union sources. In an internal memo, the carrier said it made “progress” in recent weeks on contract details for pilots who signed with the company before 2008. It claimed the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers’ Association was willing to put a new offer to a vote among its members. Chris Kempis, the airline’s new flight operations director, said last week: “We are approaching what I hope to be the concluding phase of negotiations with the HKAOA [and] the opportunity for a broad agreement.” Union sources confirmed preliminary agreements had been made on more costly housing allowances and work schedules set out in the old and new contracts of pilots, but poured cold water on an imminent deal. “The company is just not getting it. To say it’s close, I don’t see it as close, there is still a pretty large gulf [on outstanding issues],” a senior union source said. The association accounts for about 2,300 Cathay pilots in Hong Kong, out of its total of 3,300 worldwide. An HKAOA survey conducted in May revealed a lack of goodwill towards Cathay Pacific among aircrew, with almost half of 1,603 respondents saying they were looking to leave the airline and seven out of 10 indicating they would be willing to engage in industrial action at the risk of losing their jobs.<br/>