Cathay Pacific has rejected a plea by its cadet pilots to reverse a decision to shrink pay and terms for newly qualified aircrew. In a letter to the airline’s management, 95 trainees asked to be given the terms they expected when they signed on for their 55-week training programme. They have been undergoing training in Adelaide, Australia, since November 2017 and expect to finish from December this year, after the new contract takes effect. Those who complete their training successfully will start as second officers, the lowest rank of pilot. In an overhaul of pilots’ pay and benefits aimed at cutting costs and raising productivity, the loss-making airline announced in September that the package for new pilots would be trimmed, in the first major effort to rein in aircrew expenses. New second officers would continue to receive HK$538,000 (US$68,600) annually in their first year, but would get less in subsequent years than those on the old terms, according to cadets who have seen the different pay scales. The airline initially said cadets would have to pay half of the HK$1 million cost of their own training, but this was later dropped. Unhappy with the prospect of earning less, the trainees appealed, saying they had given up other jobs to pursue their passion for flying, and signed up based on the offer made by Cathay Pacific at the time. The Hong Kong carrier has been forced to restructure after facing tough competition. <br/>