HK Express To Cut Pay, Demand Unpaid Leave

Pilots and cabin crew from another of the SAR's airlines are facing a choice between deep pay cuts and losing their jobs and HK Express said it needed to make deep cuts to reduce its losses.

The low-cost carrier is following its parent company, Cathay Pacific, in giving staff a choice between much reduced pay and termination.

The budget airline said it took the "difficult decision" to offer salary reductions of between 20 and 45 percent because of a "pressing need" to bring its losses under control.

The cuts will be reduced when the airline is able to operate more services. Ground staff will be asked to take 20 days of unpaid leave in the first half of next year.

Management, including CEO Mandy Ng, say they will take a 15 per cent salary reduction for the same period.

Last month, Cathay Pacific cut more than five thousand jobs as the Covid-nineteen pandemic takes a devastating toll on the aviation industry.

Cathay took over HK Express last year from the mainland-based HNA Goup, which had been struggling with a heavy debt load.

The company has had to suspend most flights this year, and even began offering so-called "flights to nowhere" – departing from and returning to Hong Kong – to help pay the bills.