Comfort and enjoyment to passengers on flights of up - Cathay Pacific

New Regional Business
Class will provide extra
comfort <strong>and</strong> <strong>enjoyment</strong> <strong>to</strong>
<strong>passengers</strong> on flights of up
<strong>to</strong> five hours’ duration
See pages 3, 8-9

Zero findings
from latest
IOSA audit
CX underwent its 5th IATA
Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)
Audit this year <strong>and</strong> has emerged
with zero findings for the first
time.
The audit was undertaken over
a five-day period in June by an
IATA-approved organisation <strong>and</strong>
involved a detailed examination
of every aspect of the airline’s
operation.
The Corporate Quality
Department coordinated
the audit from the CX side
<strong>and</strong> among the departments
assessed were Flight Operations,
Inflight Services, Cargo <strong>and</strong>
Engineering.
At the end of the exercise,
CX compliance was established
with all IOSA st<strong>and</strong>ards including
the critical Safety Management
System (SMS).
“This was our first attempt at
SMS conformity <strong>and</strong> it is great
news that we passed this <strong>and</strong> all
the other st<strong>and</strong>ards laid down,”
says Graham Marsh, Head of
Corporate Quality.
“The latest audit was
conducted by an organisation we
hadn’t worked with before <strong>and</strong>
they were particularly rigorous.
We were very happy <strong>to</strong> hear
them say that we were one of the
best airlines they’d ever audited.”
Graham said that a lot of hard
work went in<strong>to</strong> the audit. “The
amount of effort put in by all
operational departments was
outst<strong>and</strong>ing,” he adds.
IOSA was initiated by IATA in
2001 <strong>to</strong> provide a st<strong>and</strong>ardised
audit programme based on
internationally recognised
st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong> a structured
system for the sharing of audit
reports.
STANDARDS MET: Graham
Marsh from Corporate Quality.
First class effort as awards flood in for products, Asia Miles
Cathay Pacific’s First Class product showed its reputation among
frequent fliers recently by taking two <strong>to</strong>p awards in September.
The airline won the Airline of the Year (First Class) honour at the
China Travel & Meetings Industry Awards for Leisure & Business
Travel hosted by Travel Weekly. The award was accepted by Assistant
Public Relations Manager Catherine Cheng on 11 September.
On 28 September, Cathay Pacific received the Best Airline First
Class award at the 2012 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel
Awards ceremony. General Manager Product Toby Smith was there
<strong>to</strong> pick up the trophy.
Toby was also on h<strong>and</strong> at the TTG Asia Travel Awards on 4 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber
in Bangkok when Cathay Pacific was named Best North Asia Airline.
He was joined by Dragonair CEO Patrick Yeung who accepted
the Best Regional Airline award for KA.
The TTG awards recognise luminaries of the travel industry <strong>and</strong>
were determined by more than 60,000 votes cast by TTG Asia readers
across the Asia Pacific region.
And, for the eighth consecutive year, Asia Miles was named Best
Frequent Flyer Programme at the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific
Travel Awards ceremony.
Direc<strong>to</strong>r & General Manager Asia Miles Stephen SY Wong accepted
the award from celebrity Frances Yip <strong>and</strong> said the win “highlights
our strong commitment <strong>to</strong> delivering product <strong>and</strong> service excellence
<strong>to</strong> our 4.5 million Asia Miles members worldwide”.
Making the most of
economies of scale
New joint venture <strong>to</strong> boost Hong Kong’s positioning as MRO provider
The new CX/HAECO joint venture
<strong>to</strong> provide inven<strong>to</strong>ry technical
management services was set
up with a clear objective: <strong>to</strong> build
a successful third-party business
that can also serve the needs of
the Cathay Pacific Group.
HAECO ITM Limited (HXITM)
will combine HAECO’s existing
aircraft component assets with
CX’s current inven<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> support
airlines in the CX Group, but there
will also be a strong focus on adding
other airline cus<strong>to</strong>mers.
“There are a number of benefits
from spreading the inven<strong>to</strong>ry over
a bigger pool of cus<strong>to</strong>mers <strong>and</strong>
aircraft,” says Engineering Direc<strong>to</strong>r
Chris<strong>to</strong>pher Gibbs.
“Having more cus<strong>to</strong>mers will
mean a bigger inven<strong>to</strong>ry that can
be used more efficiently, <strong>and</strong> the
economies of scale will help us <strong>to</strong>
TEAMING UP: Chris Gibbs <strong>and</strong>
Augustus Tang seal the deal.
build a more profitable business,”
adds Chris.
The new joint venture was announced
on 24 September <strong>and</strong>
will begin operations on 1 November
from HAECO’s base at Hong
Kong International Airport.
CX has a 30% stake in HXITM,
with HAECO owning 70%.
The JV’s services will primarily
cover the provision <strong>and</strong> pool
management of components
inven<strong>to</strong>ry, the management of
component repairs <strong>and</strong> overhaul,
supply chain management <strong>and</strong>
round-the-clock support for AOG
(aircraft on ground) incidents.
Chris says that both CX
<strong>and</strong> HAECO will bring specific
strengths <strong>to</strong> the new company.
“HAECO is well established as
a <strong>to</strong>p-tier aircraft maintenance
provider, <strong>and</strong> already has a strong
cus<strong>to</strong>mer drive,” says Chris.
“From the CX side we will be
putting our own inven<strong>to</strong>ry, valued
at around US$100 million, in<strong>to</strong> the
pool <strong>and</strong> providing considerable
expertise <strong>and</strong> experience.”
Some 20 staff from the Engineering
Department will be seconded
<strong>to</strong> HXITM for a two-year
term, after which they’ll be offered
full-time positions within the JV.
Chris says there is a growing trend
worldwide for airlines <strong>to</strong> outsource
capital-intensive component management
activity <strong>to</strong> service providers.
“This is becoming a common
model among low-cost carriers
<strong>and</strong> airlines with small fleets,” he
says.
“We are one of the first major carriers
<strong>to</strong> go down this path, but the
general trend is in this direction <strong>and</strong>
we believe there is a market for such
services out of Hong Kong.”
HAECO’s Chief Executive Officer
Augustus Tang says the JV will
help <strong>to</strong> strengthen Hong Kong’s
MRO (maintenance, repair <strong>and</strong>
overhaul) positioning.
“As we grow the business, it will
also create air freight volume for
HKIA <strong>and</strong> employment opportunities
for aircraft engineering professionals,”
he says.
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Latest product set
for Jan 2013 rollout
Regional Business Class gives more comfort, versatility for short flights
Cathay Pacific celebrated its 66th birthday
by unveiling the new Regional Business
Class product <strong>to</strong> the Hong Kong media.
The press event, hosted by Chief Executive
John Slosar <strong>and</strong> Chief Operating Officer Ivan
Chu in the mock-up area at Cathay City, saw
more than 20 journalists getting a chance <strong>to</strong> try
out the new product for themselves.
John said the new product was developed
after listening <strong>to</strong> <strong>and</strong> incorporating cus<strong>to</strong>mer
feedback. “It underlines our commitment <strong>to</strong>
excellence in innovation <strong>and</strong> providing an
exceptional travel experience.
“Our continued investment in products
<strong>and</strong> services is a key element of our ongoing
commitment <strong>to</strong> the development of Hong
Kong as one of the world’s leading international
aviation hubs,” he added.
General Manager Product Toby Smith says
Marco Polo Club members were invited <strong>to</strong> take
part in several rounds of mock-up trials.
“We did two rounds of one-on-one interviews,
eight months apart. Then selected
frequent fliers were invited <strong>to</strong> try out the
first round mock-up. We then analysed their
feedback, iterated the design <strong>and</strong> built a new
functional mock-up prior <strong>to</strong> embarking on the
second round of consultations,” Toby says.
“Most of the feedback had <strong>to</strong> do with the
need <strong>to</strong> maximise living space. From that
feedback, we sculpted the seat shell <strong>to</strong> provide
increased knee <strong>and</strong> shin clearance <strong>and</strong>
also footwell depth
“The team worked from the basic premise
that this product will cater <strong>to</strong> regional flights with
five hours or less of flying time, where a flatbed
product is not necessary,” Toby adds.
FIRST LOOK: John Slosar <strong>and</strong> Chief
Operating Officer Ivan Chu unveiled the
new product at a media event.
Stylish inspiration for new amenity kits
From mid-Oc<strong>to</strong>ber, the Premium Economy Class amenity kits will
sport a new look created by a homegrown Hong Kong br<strong>and</strong>.
The new case designs - Fairies <strong>and</strong> Cloud – were developed by
well known lifestyle br<strong>and</strong> Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) <strong>and</strong> contain
socks, an eye shade, ear plugs <strong>and</strong> a dental set.
The Fairies case, which depicts Chinese Gods enjoying themselves
inflight by sipping coffee, using the computer or reading,
is available on outbound flights from Hong Kong while the Clouds
design will be distributed on inbound flights.
“We chose G.O.D. because it is known for its fun niche designs
inspired by the vibrant culture of Hong Kong, which is a good fit
for our Premium Economy Class,” says Assistant Product Manager
Catherine Sin.
“The plan is <strong>to</strong> have four designs per year, two outbound <strong>and</strong>
two inbound. The hope is they will become real collectibles <strong>and</strong>
<strong>passengers</strong> will look forward <strong>to</strong> receiving a new design every time
they travel,” she adds.
In fact, the kits have been specially designed <strong>to</strong> become a
collectible set. Each one has a but<strong>to</strong>n at the back which allows
additional bags <strong>to</strong> be attached <strong>to</strong> it <strong>and</strong> eventually create a wall
hanging accessory.
The team is also constantly looking for opportunities <strong>to</strong> offer
more sustainable products inflight.
“At least 90% of the raw materials used in making the bag is
from recycled plastic bottles, while the <strong>to</strong>othbrush is made mainly
from corn starch <strong>and</strong> cellulose, which is biodegradable, recyclable
<strong>and</strong> uses fewer resources in its production,” Catherine says.
The new Regional Business Class will
replace the two variations of the Business
Class product currently flying on the
regional routes <strong>and</strong> the first aircraft will
start being retrofitted on 1 December.
“The first Boeing 777 aircraft is due <strong>to</strong>
enter service in January 2013, while the
first A330-300 will be completed in the
fourth quarter of 2013. All of the airline’s
regional aircraft will be fitted with the new
product by the end of 2014,” Toby says.
• New regional product in detail –
pages 8 <strong>and</strong> 9.
Update from the
Chief Executive
The state of the aviation industry
is very much dependent on the
state of the global economy. When
the economic climate is positive,
<strong>passengers</strong> will fly – <strong>and</strong> be more
willing <strong>to</strong> pay a higher price for
the service – <strong>and</strong> cargo will move
across the world. We saw those
conditions in 2010 – a record year
for our airline <strong>and</strong> the industry as a
whole – but for the past 18 months
we have experienced continued
weak dem<strong>and</strong>, particularly for cargo.
Recent assessments indicate
that the world’s economic woes
are far from over. Earlier this month
the International Monetary Fund
stated that the global economic
slowdown is worsening, cutting its
growth forecasts once again. Europe
remains on the brink of a crisis, the
US is struggling <strong>to</strong> get its economy
moving again, <strong>and</strong> even the so-called
BRIC economies – <strong>to</strong>uted as the
new engines for global growth – are
stalling. It’s a very gloomy picture.
So where does that leave Cathay
Pacific? After announcing a loss
in the first half of 2012, we were
pinning our hopes on a stronger
second half driven by the traditional
peaks for cargo <strong>and</strong> business travel.
It’s <strong>to</strong>o early <strong>to</strong> say how strong that
rebound will (or won’t) be, but with
the world’s economies remaining
depressed – <strong>and</strong> China’s growth
slowing again – it’s hard <strong>to</strong> see
much hope of a sustained recovery
in 2012 at this point.
We are all aware this is a cyclical
industry <strong>and</strong> it appears we’re in
a very stubborn downturn at the
moment, coupled with the continued
burden of high fuel prices.
That means we’re going <strong>to</strong> need
<strong>to</strong> stay focused on containing costs
wherever possible. The challenges
we face aren’t insurmountable by
any means, but they certainly aren’t
insignificant either.
The key thing we need <strong>to</strong> do is
ensure that our cus<strong>to</strong>mers keep
coming back, <strong>and</strong> our new Regional
Business Class will play an important
role in this respect. Together with our
amazing First Class, world-beating
new Business Class, the new
Premium Economy cabin <strong>and</strong> our
great Long-haul Economy seats, I
believe we will have the best suite of
products out of any airline, anywhere
in the world.
John Slosar

Keeping fully engaged
CX World spoke <strong>to</strong> recently appointed Direc<strong>to</strong>r Corporate Affairs
Chitty Cheung about the priorities in her new role <strong>and</strong> the importance
of engaging with the airline’s stakeholders
When did your journey in Cathay
Pacific begin?
It all started 25 years ago – in fact,
I’m about <strong>to</strong> get my gold bar! I
joined as a Management Trainee
in 1987 <strong>and</strong> moved around the
system.
In <strong>to</strong>tal I have covered around
12 different departments in Hong
Kong <strong>and</strong> three outports.
What have been the highlights
along the way?
My most memorable experience
was probably my first overseas
posting <strong>to</strong> Los Angeles in 1990.
At the time we didn’t fly <strong>to</strong> Los
Angeles, <strong>and</strong> San Francisco was
operated as a tag on the Vancouver
flight. We had just bought our
first 747-400, which gave us the
ability <strong>to</strong> operate non-s<strong>to</strong>p <strong>to</strong> Los
Angeles, so we decided <strong>to</strong> shut
down SFO <strong>and</strong> target Los Angeles
– a bigger market <strong>and</strong> a more
important gateway <strong>to</strong> the US.
They sent me <strong>to</strong> the US for six
months before the flight started <strong>to</strong>
do all the preparations for the new
route. I was thrown in at the deep
end <strong>and</strong> just had <strong>to</strong> find ways <strong>to</strong>
make it happen – it was a very
steep learning curve!
How do you feel about being
appointed as a direc<strong>to</strong>r – <strong>and</strong>
what will the challenges be?
Of course it is a great honour <strong>to</strong> be
made a direc<strong>to</strong>r – I’m very grateful
<strong>to</strong> the company for trusting me
with this important job.
My portfolio covers corporate
communication <strong>and</strong> the environment,
<strong>and</strong> although these are
both new areas for me, the training
I’ve acquired as a generalist
manager within Cathay Pacific
has prepared me. Whatever job
is l<strong>and</strong>ed on our desk we have
<strong>to</strong> find a way <strong>to</strong> accomplish it <strong>and</strong>
deliver results!
I know how things work in the
airline <strong>and</strong> it will help me <strong>to</strong> explain
our position, business strategy
<strong>and</strong> goals <strong>to</strong> our stakeholders.
It’s going <strong>to</strong> be a very interesting
<strong>and</strong> challenging job because you
wake up in the morning <strong>and</strong> you
never know what <strong>to</strong> expect!
The recent government <strong>and</strong> political
changes in Hong Kong will
add <strong>to</strong> the challenge.
What are your <strong>to</strong>p priorities as
you settle down in the job?
A big part of my role is <strong>to</strong> manage
the relationship with our stakeholders
– not just our cus<strong>to</strong>mers
but the government, people in
political circles, opinion leaders,
media, <strong>and</strong> staff. There’s a lot of
engagement work that needs <strong>to</strong>
be done because there have been
a lot of changes in Hong Kong in
the last six months.
We need <strong>to</strong> build even stronger
relationships with these stakeholders
<strong>and</strong> get them <strong>to</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>
Cathay Pacific’s contribution <strong>to</strong>
Hong Kong.
Do we need <strong>to</strong> do more <strong>to</strong> enhance
our reputation locally?
I think, overall, CX has enjoyed
a good reputation both in Hong
Kong <strong>and</strong> overseas, but it is always
good <strong>to</strong> improve that reputation
further. We need <strong>to</strong> drive home
the fact that, as Hong Kong’s carrier,
we will fulfil our obligations <strong>to</strong>
the home market.
We are making big investments
in Hong Kong, creating jobs <strong>and</strong>
supporting the government <strong>and</strong>
the local community. But just doing
these things is not enough.
We need <strong>to</strong> be more visible about
what we do so that Hong Kong
people will know that we’re in it
<strong>to</strong>gether.
What are the priorities on the
environmental side?
Making CX an environmentally
conscious <strong>and</strong> active corporation
will be at the <strong>to</strong>p of my list. And we
will, of course, be giving our full
support <strong>to</strong> the Airport Authority for
the environmental impact assessment
for the third runway study.
That’s very important.
I’d also like <strong>to</strong> see more work
done <strong>to</strong> raise awareness among
staff <strong>and</strong> encourage them <strong>to</strong> come
up with more ideas in the areas of
sustainable development <strong>and</strong> environmental
protection.
It’s going <strong>to</strong> be a high-pressure
job – how do you like <strong>to</strong>
unwind?
I like <strong>to</strong> swim <strong>and</strong> play golf. Unfortunately
I’ve not had any time for
golf since I started this job, but I
hope I can pick it up again!
Cus<strong>to</strong>mers at the heart of terminal project
As testing <strong>and</strong> commissioning
work continues at the Cathay Pacific
Cargo Terminal, work is going
on in parallel <strong>to</strong> ensure the facility
is able <strong>to</strong> meet the expectations of
its cus<strong>to</strong>mers when it begins operations
early next year.
The first two cus<strong>to</strong>mers will, of
course, be Cathay Pacific <strong>and</strong>
Dragonair, <strong>and</strong> Albert Lo is the
man tasked with ensuring that the
new terminal will meet the airlines’
requirements – <strong>and</strong> that a smooth
transition from Hactl <strong>to</strong> Cathay
Pacific Services Ltd (CPSL) takes
place
Albert, seconded from CX as
CPSL’s Manager Commercial,
says that the terminal is going <strong>to</strong>
offer a lot of benefits <strong>to</strong> all cus<strong>to</strong>mers.
“It’s going <strong>to</strong> mean smoother
transhipments, more opportunities
<strong>to</strong> exp<strong>and</strong> city pairs, a quicker
transit time through Hong Kong,
<strong>and</strong> it will give us the ability <strong>to</strong> tai-
MEETING EXPECTATIONS: The HAFFA Air Freight Sub Committee got a
closer look at the new cargo terminal as CPSL ramps up engagement.
lor-makeproducts for the
cus<strong>to</strong>mers,”
says Albert.
“It will really
increase our
competitive
edge.”
In addition
<strong>to</strong> CX/KA,
Albert <strong>and</strong>
his team are
working with some 30 or so stakeholders,
including government
offices, airport-related organisations
<strong>and</strong> outports, who all need
<strong>to</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> how the terminal is
going <strong>to</strong> work.
“We need <strong>to</strong> get buy-in from
these stakeholders as early as we
can,” he says.
“We also need <strong>to</strong> build awareness
within the industry as a whole
because after year one there will
be a business opportunity <strong>to</strong> serve
third-party cus<strong>to</strong>mers.”
The engagement extends <strong>to</strong>
freight forwarders, who are being
advised how truckers will benefit
from reduced waiting times thanks
<strong>to</strong> the “just in time” operation at
the terminal.
An advanced
truck control system
will enable
them <strong>to</strong> go straight
<strong>to</strong> the truck dock <strong>to</strong>
get the cargo, while
CPSL can manage
the use of the truck
docks <strong>to</strong> maximise
throughput <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>nnage
– “a win-win
situation,” Albert
smiles.
Mindful of the problems encountered
when the new airport
opened in 1998, Albert says that a
lot of planning is going in<strong>to</strong> ensuring
a smooth transition.
The terminal will have a threestage
opening <strong>to</strong> “give us flexibility
<strong>and</strong> provide more assurance,”
Albert says.
In Stage 1, the terminal will h<strong>and</strong>le
mainly valuable cargo <strong>and</strong> interface
transfers; Stage 2, beginning
May, will see the terminal h<strong>and</strong>ling
imports; <strong>and</strong> Stage 3, from September,
will include exports.
“Stage 2 is the big test. If we
pass this we’ll feel a lot more confident
about the operation going
forward,” Albert says.
Interactive CX World
now mobile friendly
Since March the online version
of CX World has provided
staff with a more interactive
experience with the addition of
pho<strong>to</strong> albums, slideshows <strong>and</strong>
embedded video links.
Now a reformatted version
allows iPad <strong>and</strong> iPhone users
<strong>to</strong> access the same content in a
more user-friendly fashion.
Staff can also view additional
pho<strong>to</strong>s in moving albums, access
relevant videos <strong>and</strong> enlarge items
<strong>to</strong> make them easier <strong>to</strong> read on
their mobile devices.
Go <strong>to</strong> the CX World link on
IntraCX <strong>to</strong> download.

oneworld boost as
Qatar invited <strong>to</strong> join
Alliance extends Middle East reach with major regional player
Highly regarded Middle Eastern carrier
Qatar Airways (QR) has been
confirmed as the next airline <strong>to</strong> come
onboard a member of the oneworld
alliance.
The carrier’s election as a member
designate was announced on 8
Oc<strong>to</strong>ber at a press conference in
New York, attended by CEOs from a
number of alliance members.
The implementation of the Dohabased
carrier in<strong>to</strong> oneworld is expected
<strong>to</strong> take between 12 <strong>and</strong> 18
months.
QR – named Skytrax Airline of
the Year for the past two years – will
become the first of the major Gulf
airlines <strong>to</strong> sign for any of the global
airline alliances.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Akbar
Al Baker, said that after carefully reviewing
its strategic options, QR is
“very clear that joining oneworld is
by far the best way forward for us
as we look <strong>to</strong> strengthen our competitive
offering <strong>and</strong> give <strong>passengers</strong>
what they fully deserve – more
choice.”
QR currently serves 120 destina-
More CX <strong>passengers</strong> can enjoy the benefits
of using a Mobile Boarding Pass as the
network of destinations where the service
is available grows.
The service was rolled out in Rome, Toron<strong>to</strong>
<strong>and</strong> Bahrain on 28 August.
Starting 1 November, <strong>passengers</strong> can
check in <strong>and</strong> board using their mobile
devices at nine more destinations, including
Narita <strong>and</strong> Haneda in Tokyo, Nagoya,
Osaka/Kansai, Sapporo/Chi<strong>to</strong>se, Fukuoka,
Amsterdam, Jeddah <strong>and</strong> Kuala Lumpur.
It is also on offer for <strong>passengers</strong> checking
in at Hong Kong, Auckl<strong>and</strong>, Vancouver
<strong>and</strong> Taipei.
Passengers who check in online can
choose <strong>to</strong> receive a boarding pass in the
form of an email or text message on their
mobile devices. The service is also available
<strong>to</strong> transit <strong>passengers</strong> at Hong Kong
who originate from the eligible airports.
“While the overall rate of online check-in
usage has remained stable after the initial
roll out of the MBP service in January, the
number of <strong>passengers</strong> who are downloading
mobile boarding passes has almost
doubled in July compared <strong>to</strong> January,” says
Manager eBusiness Lawrence Fong.
“We expect usage <strong>to</strong> grow with the expansion
of the feature <strong>to</strong> new ports as well
as <strong>to</strong> transit <strong>passengers</strong> in Hong Kong,”
adds e-Business Services <strong>and</strong> CRM Assis-
tions in 70 countries in the Middle
East, Europe, Africa, North <strong>and</strong> South
America, Asia <strong>and</strong> Australasia.
Fifteen of its destinations <strong>and</strong>
three countries – Iran, Rw<strong>and</strong>a <strong>and</strong>
the Seychelles – will be new <strong>to</strong> the
oneworld map.
The carrier is set <strong>to</strong> move in<strong>to</strong> a
br<strong>and</strong> new home in 2013 with the
opening of the New Doha International
Airport, designed with an
eventual capacity for 50 million <strong>passengers</strong>
a year.
QR operates one of the world’s
youngest <strong>and</strong> most modern fleets,
currently st<strong>and</strong>ing at 111 Boeing <strong>and</strong>
Airbus aircraft with an average age
of just four years old.
The Gulf carrier becomes the third
member designate lined up <strong>to</strong> join
the alliance.
Malaysian Airlines is expected
<strong>to</strong> come onboard either later in this
year or early in 2013, while SriLankan
Airlines will join later in 2013.
Kingfisher Airlines is also still officially
a member elect though its
implementation has been put on
hold.
More ports get ready for
mobile boarding service
ADDED BENEFIT: More <strong>passengers</strong> are using
mobile devices for check-in <strong>and</strong> boarding.
tant Manager Brian Chan.
When picking new airports <strong>to</strong> launch the
service, Brian says his team considers the
readiness <strong>and</strong> the overall cus<strong>to</strong>mer experience
at each airport.
“Some airports still require another prin<strong>to</strong>ut
or receipt at security checkpoints. Others
require <strong>passengers</strong> <strong>to</strong> scan their mobile
boarding pass at self-service kiosks in
order <strong>to</strong> get a paper slip, which defeats the
purpose of paperless check-in,” he says.
“We will not roll out Mobile Boarding
Pass services at airports until all the checkin
procedures are refined <strong>to</strong> our preferred
st<strong>and</strong>ard,” Brian adds.
REACHING OUT: Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker (centre) with crew members as
the airline is welcomed in<strong>to</strong> the oneworld alliance as a member designate.
Obituary –
Pearl Aurice
Palma-Litan
Friends
<strong>and</strong> former
colleagues
were
deeply
saddened
<strong>to</strong> hear of
the sudden
passing of Pearl Litan on 18
September.
Philippines-born Pearl joined
CX in 1985 <strong>and</strong> was promoted <strong>to</strong>
Inflight Service Manager in June
2006.
With her CX batch mates,
Pearl celebrated her 20th anniversary
with the airline by raising
funds <strong>to</strong> donate <strong>to</strong> a charity organisation
in the Philippines, later
helping <strong>to</strong> form a group called
“CX Crew Pinays for Progress”
<strong>to</strong> contribute <strong>to</strong> charity efforts.
Pearl founded an NGO, Philippine
Cabin Crew Charities Inc
(PCCCI), while still with Cathay
Pacific.
She retired from flying in July
2011 <strong>to</strong> pursue her charity efforts
full time.
She is survived by husb<strong>and</strong>
Noel, son Julian, daughter Mariel
<strong>and</strong> six siblings.

A grateful regular passenger paid a special
visit <strong>to</strong> Cathay City <strong>to</strong> meet with the
staff from the Hong Kong Office Reservations
team who had been helping her
out over the years.
Ms Cheung visited four Hong Kong Office Reservations
Cus<strong>to</strong>mer Sales Officers on 28 September <strong>and</strong> presented
them with small gifts <strong>to</strong> show her appreciation for the
caring service they had provided <strong>to</strong> her over the past few
years.
The four – Cus<strong>to</strong>mer Sales Officers Joyce Kwok, Sarajane
Chan <strong>and</strong> Christy Lam, <strong>and</strong> Cus<strong>to</strong>mer Sales Supervisor
Monita Pang – were very <strong>to</strong>uched by her visit.
Ms Cheung said she had stayed a loyal CX cus<strong>to</strong>mer
because of the service the team had always provided <strong>and</strong>
she calls them up every time she travels.
Member Service Executive Innah Sut<strong>to</strong>n
from the Philippines Service Centre was
commended by a cus<strong>to</strong>mer for the service
she provided.
“I have just spoken with Member Service Executive Innah
Sut<strong>to</strong>n <strong>and</strong> she was excellent.
Very rarely do I encounter good cus<strong>to</strong>mer service like that
<strong>and</strong> so I feel it was necessary <strong>to</strong> make a formal thank you <strong>to</strong>
her <strong>and</strong> ensure that the company is aware of her efforts.
I had many questions <strong>and</strong> had difficulty with the online
booking system. She was able <strong>to</strong> easily solve my problems
<strong>and</strong> make my booking.”
HKIA Supervisor Shirley Or helped an
elderly couple with their meet-<strong>and</strong>-greet
arrangements when they were travelling
<strong>to</strong> Rome.
“My parents, who are in their 80s, required assistance
upon arrival in Rome. I spoke with
Supervisor Shirley Or at
Hong Kong airport
<strong>and</strong> she was very
helpful <strong>and</strong> efficient
in sorting out
our requirements.
Being in the service
industry myself,
I do know it is a challenge
<strong>to</strong> keep service
st<strong>and</strong>ards high <strong>and</strong> I
wanted <strong>to</strong> offer my
compliments for a
great experience
with Shirley.”
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n
Stuck in the middle
Could you please clarify who receives priority <strong>to</strong> be upgraded?
My underst<strong>and</strong>ing is that ID <strong>passengers</strong> have a higher
priority for upgrades, but it is plain that revenue <strong>passengers</strong>
have a much better chance of being upgraded than
ID <strong>passengers</strong>.
I would also like <strong>to</strong> know why when bulhead or aisle seats
are still available, ID <strong>passengers</strong> get the middle seats?
I underst<strong>and</strong> that when the flight is full, then the better
seats are given <strong>to</strong> revenue <strong>passengers</strong>. However staff often
get their boarding passes after the passenger counter
has already closed.
By that time surely ground staff should know what seats
are available, so there is no need <strong>to</strong> give ID <strong>passengers</strong>
the middle seats all the time. Is there a regulation that ID
<strong>passengers</strong> get the middle seats?
And finally, while I underst<strong>and</strong> that the staff at the st<strong>and</strong>by
counter are always busy, that is no excuse for not smiling or
even being grumpy. We all work for the same company <strong>and</strong>
we should be nice <strong>to</strong> each other.
Name withheld
Bob Nipperess, Employee Services Manager, replies: I
should like <strong>to</strong> stress that only after all revenue passenger
needs have been satisfied – <strong>and</strong> this includes purchased
upgrades <strong>and</strong> preferred seats – can airport teams allocate
seats <strong>to</strong> sub-load travellers.
Therefore the seats available for sub-load travellers are
those remaining after full-fare cus<strong>to</strong>mers have been ac-
Brendan Duffy, Catering Manager Planning
& Concept Design, replies: Most
processed foods will contain some
form of preservative or will have gone
through a preserving process such as
freezing, pickling or heat treatment in
order <strong>to</strong> protect or extend the shelf life
of a product.
The type of food will determine the
type of preserving agent used.
Highly processed proteins such as
sausages, luncheon meat, mayonnaise
<strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> sauce may contain a number
of natural <strong>and</strong> chemical preservatives
for stabilising <strong>and</strong> prolonging the
life of the product.
Whole pieces of chicken, beef, seafood,
vegetables <strong>and</strong> starches will have
gone through a preserving process
such as Cryovac or snap freezing.
We have a Catering Hygiene Service
St<strong>and</strong>ard with all our catering
partners. Part of this governs the time
control st<strong>and</strong>ards for food preparation
<strong>and</strong> stipulates the time frame for food
preparation.
Food that will be reheated inflight
must not exceed 72 hours counting
back from the scheduled time of departure.
Food that will be served cold inflight
commodated, <strong>and</strong> it st<strong>and</strong>s <strong>to</strong> reason that the remaining
seats are often the middle ones.
We do not have a policy <strong>to</strong> set aside any specific seats
for ID <strong>passengers</strong>, <strong>and</strong> where possible endeavour <strong>to</strong> allocate
seating in the ticketed class.
Like all employees, our airport teams have clearly defined
performance st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong> are expected <strong>to</strong> meet
these performance goals.
If there is an occasion when a traveller feels they have
not received the service they expected, they can advise us
<strong>and</strong> we will follow up with the department concerned.
Send us your feedback
We welcome feedback from anyone in the CX network on any issue affecting the airline or the
industry. Please email your letters <strong>to</strong> CCD#SCT. Not all letters will be published but those that
are will be edited for length <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> comply with the CX World style.
The sender of the star letter each month will win 3,000 Asia Miles. The Feedback page is
sponsored by Asia’s leading travel reward programme.
Preservatives
added?
I am curious <strong>to</strong> know how much of
what we eat inflight is laden with preservatives.
And how long before the flight are the
meals prepared?
Name withheld
must not exceed 48 hours counting
back from the scheduled time of departure.
All our caterers will have a Hazard
Analysis & Critical Control Point
(HACCP) pro<strong>to</strong>col in place <strong>to</strong> safeguard
against any process failings <strong>and</strong> Cathay
Pacific has a robust <strong>and</strong> comprehensive
audit programme in place.
ID passenger
rights
Recently I have seen a few complaints
online about our ID <strong>passengers</strong> being
asked <strong>to</strong> swap seats with revenue <strong>passengers</strong>
after boarding the plane.
If a full-fare passenger is not satisfied
with the seat for whatever reason, such
as a problem with the IFE, should the
crew make the decision <strong>to</strong> swap seats
without getting prior permission from
the ID passenger?
Shouldn’t ID <strong>passengers</strong> be treated
the same way as revenue <strong>passengers</strong>
or are there certain obligations for them
<strong>to</strong> follow?
Name withheld

Le Le Ng, Inflight Service St<strong>and</strong>ards
Manager, replies: Airport
staff <strong>and</strong> cabin crew will always
do their best <strong>to</strong> assist ID <strong>passengers</strong>
both on ground <strong>and</strong> inflight.
That said, ID <strong>passengers</strong>
should also be aware that they
have responsibilities when travelling.
While we respect ID travellers
are also <strong>passengers</strong>, our first priority
is with revenue <strong>passengers</strong>.
Staff travelling on ID tickets
are asked <strong>to</strong> please cooperate
with airport staff or cabin crew
for requests related <strong>to</strong> check-in,
boarding, downgrading, re-seating
or meal request changes.
For further information, please
visit the Leisure Travel Policy
area on IntraCX.
Duty-free
savings?
Many airlines offer discounts <strong>to</strong>
staff for purchases made in onboard
duty free s<strong>to</strong>res. For example,
Qantas <strong>and</strong> Delta offer a
20% discount onboard for their
staff.
Can Cathay Pacific consider
offering similar discounts for our
staff when they are travelling on
presentation of a staff ID card?
It may help increase sales onboard
as well.
Alan Davis,
SYD
Jessica Wan, Inflight Sales Operations
Manager, replies: Currently,
discounts are not offered
<strong>to</strong> staff when they are travelling
so that the limited s<strong>to</strong>ck uplifted
can be made available <strong>to</strong> revenue
<strong>passengers</strong>.
However we do have an online
staff sale website which can be
accessed on IntraCX.
Staff can buy items from that
site at any time <strong>and</strong> a 30% discount
is available on most products.
The discount is coupled with
occasional special offers such
as lucky draws <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>p spender
awards.
Regular staff sale events are
also held at Cathay City where
staff can purchase products at
discounted prices.
New routes on target
The booming central city of Zhengzhou
is the latest <strong>to</strong> join Dragonair’s
network, with a launch date
set for 8 January 2013.
Zhengzhou, the second largest
city in central China after Wuhan,
is the economic <strong>and</strong> political hub
of Henan Province <strong>and</strong> its surrounding
areas.
Growth in the manufacturing
<strong>and</strong> high technology sec<strong>to</strong>rs is attracting
domestic <strong>and</strong> international
investment, causing a steady rise
in GDP in recent years.
Zhengzhou’s his<strong>to</strong>rical heritage
as one of China’s eight great ancient
capitals, as well as its prox-
Increased capacity <strong>to</strong> meet
booming Cambodian market
The Cambodia team is preparing for the winter
months – the traditional high season for visiting
the country – with increased frequencies <strong>and</strong> bigger
aircraft.
Three additional weekly flights on Mondays,
Tuesdays <strong>and</strong> Sundays will be mounted on the
Phnom Penh route from 28 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber until the end
of next March. Dragonair is currently operating a
daily flight <strong>to</strong> Phnom Penh.
Country Manager Cambodia Nicolas Masse
pointed out that the added frequency is a re-
ON A HIGH: Nicolas (far right) <strong>and</strong> his team <strong>and</strong>
are looking forward <strong>to</strong> more flights in winter.
imity <strong>to</strong> the legendary Shaolin
monastery, also makes it a popular
destination for <strong>to</strong>urists.
The new daily service will be operated
by Airbus A320 aircraft.
“The peak season for both inbound
<strong>and</strong> outbound traffic will
run from July <strong>to</strong> Oc<strong>to</strong>ber. Frontend
business <strong>to</strong> <strong>and</strong> from the city
is predicted <strong>to</strong> come mainly from
government traffic <strong>and</strong> business
travellers,” says Manager Alliance
& Revenue Planning Katherine Lo.
“Zhengzhou is expected <strong>to</strong> attract
considerable leisure <strong>and</strong> business
traffic from Hong Kong, with the
Shaolin Temple <strong>and</strong> Mount Song
being the main <strong>to</strong>urist draws,”
Katherine adds.
Hong Kong, Macau <strong>and</strong> Taiwan
are expected <strong>to</strong> be popular
destinations for Zhengzhou local
residents, who are now eligible <strong>to</strong>
apply for individual visit visas.
Meanwhile, advanced bookings
are picking up slowly for Haikou
<strong>and</strong> Kolkata,which are launching
on 28 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>and</strong> 2 November,
respectively.
Similar <strong>to</strong> Zhengzhou, student
traffic <strong>and</strong> the Individual Visit
Scheme <strong>to</strong> Hong Kong is expected
<strong>to</strong> help business out of Haikou.
Inbound visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> Haikou will
sponse <strong>to</strong> rising travel dem<strong>and</strong> in<strong>to</strong> Cambodia
from around the world.
According <strong>to</strong> government figures, 2.88 million
foreign <strong>to</strong>urists were recorded in 2011, a substantial
increase of 14.9% over 2010. Visi<strong>to</strong>rs
from China alone grew by 89.6% over the previous
year.
The growth of international traffic is the result
of good internal security <strong>and</strong> improved <strong>to</strong>urism
infrastructure in the country, according <strong>to</strong> Nicolas.
“On <strong>to</strong>p of being a leisure destination that offers
good value for money, Cambodia is also gaining
a reputation as a business route with the growth
of the manufacturing industry in Southeast Asia,
Cambodia being no exception,” says Nicolas.
“By operating 10 flights a week during the winter
months, KA is better poised <strong>to</strong> capture the
China market, where travel dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> Cambodia
has been growing fast,” he adds.
The new schedule translates <strong>to</strong> a 65% increase
in passenger capacity <strong>and</strong> 100% for cargo in November
<strong>and</strong> December this year.
Passenger <strong>and</strong> cargo capacity from January
till March 2013 will increase by 45% <strong>and</strong> 50%,
respectively.
The increase in <strong>to</strong>tal capacity is also expected
<strong>to</strong> help the cargo market <strong>to</strong> <strong>and</strong> from Cambodia,
which has doubled out of Phnom Penh since
early 2012 as exports have soared.
most likely hail from Hong Kong,
Japan <strong>and</strong> Korea.
Kolkata, which is used as an international
gateway by East Indian
states, is expecting strong business
<strong>and</strong> leisure traffic.
Visiting friends <strong>and</strong> relatives
has also been identified as a niche
market for the route.
STOP PRESS!
As CX World went <strong>to</strong> press, Dragonair
announced it will launch
a four-times-weekly service <strong>to</strong>
Yangon, Myanmar, commencing
on 9 January.
Top Taiwanese
cuisine in the sky
Until Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2013, First <strong>and</strong> Business Class
<strong>passengers</strong> can enjoy Chinese dishes from two
Taiwan partners – Chinese Sky Restaurant at
the Han-Hsien International Hotel in Kaohsiung
<strong>and</strong> Ji-Pin-Shuan Restaurant in Taipei.
Flights from Kaohsiung <strong>to</strong> Hong Kong will
feature dishes by the Chinese Sky Restaurant
while <strong>passengers</strong> travelling from Taipei <strong>to</strong> Hong
Kong are offered a selection of dishes created
by Ji-Pin-Shuan Restaurant.
The Chinese Sky Restaurant is known for
authentic Can<strong>to</strong>nese cuisine while the Ji-Pin-
Shuan Restaurant has an enticing range of
Zhejiang dishes.

Cus<strong>to</strong>mer feedback key in ensuring new product matches passe
Regional developm
A large meal table allows <strong>passengers</strong> ample
space <strong>to</strong> spread out while they work or dine,
<strong>and</strong> there’s also an extendable cocktail table.
Each seat is equipped with a
universal power supply outlet
<strong>to</strong> keep electronic devices fully
charged.
A multi-port connec<strong>to</strong>r
includes a USB port that can be
used <strong>to</strong> charge devices such as
mobile phones <strong>and</strong> BlackBerry
devices, <strong>and</strong> an iPhone/iPod/iPad
connec<strong>to</strong>r that allows <strong>passengers</strong>
<strong>to</strong> connect their own devices <strong>and</strong>
watch videos
through the
personal
TV.
The seat has been sculpted <strong>to</strong> maximise passenger
living space.
Each seat is encased in a fixed shell
ensuring that <strong>passengers</strong>’ living space is not
encroached upon by the passenger in front.
Passengers will be able <strong>to</strong> enjoy the Studio CX widescreen
on-dem<strong>and</strong> entertainment system – a new
feature for the regional fleet.
Each seat is equipped with a new <strong>and</strong> enlarged 12.1
inch screen, with a <strong>to</strong>uchscreen moni<strong>to</strong>r, which is
mounted in<strong>to</strong> the back of the fixed seat.
From early next year, <strong>passengers</strong> will be en
new Regional Business Class product from
The principal
feature of the
new product is
the seat, which
offers an extensive
recline, extended
legrest <strong>and</strong> innovative
cradle motion
that ensure <strong>passengers</strong>
can rest in
comfort.
The seat pitch has
been increased from
45” <strong>to</strong> 47”, providing
extra legroom for <strong>passengers</strong>.
The in-seat width has
also been increased from
20” <strong>to</strong> 21”, providing
extra living space for
<strong>passengers</strong>.
The ergonomically
designed seat articulates
in<strong>to</strong> a comfortable
“lazy-Z” position that
allows <strong>passengers</strong> <strong>to</strong> be
cradled in the optimum
position for relaxation.
The seat features
independent electronic
controls for recline <strong>and</strong>
the legrest, allowing
<strong>passengers</strong> <strong>to</strong> adjust
the seat in<strong>to</strong> their ideal
position at the <strong>to</strong>uch of
a but<strong>to</strong>n.

nger expectations
ent
joying a spacious
Cathay Pacific The design of the seat has ensured
that ample s<strong>to</strong>rage space is available
for <strong>passengers</strong>’ personal
baggage <strong>and</strong> items.
This includes a special area
along the side of the seat for
magazines <strong>and</strong> newspapers <strong>and</strong> a
smaller pocket for mobile phones.
Seat pitch
Seat width
Seat recline angle
Legrest recline angle
PTV
Meal table dimension
Headrest movement
Entertainment system
Multi-port connec<strong>to</strong>r
PC Power <strong>to</strong> each seat
Current Regional
Business Class
45”
20”
32-35 degrees
38-55 degrees
6.5-9”
17.5-20.3” W
11” D
4-way movement
Broadcasting system
Nil
Some aircraft
New Regional
Business Class
47”
21”
36 degrees
60 degrees
12.1”
20.3” W
14.5” D
6-way movement
Audio Video On Dem<strong>and</strong>
iPhone/iPod/iPad port
<strong>and</strong> USB port
All aircraft
The night the crew came home
It was a night <strong>to</strong> remember as more than 250 cabin crew
– retired <strong>and</strong> currently operating – from all over the world
gathered in Hong Kong for the CX Cabin Crew Homecoming
event on 22 September.
The party provided a chance <strong>to</strong> reminisce, celebrate
friendships <strong>and</strong> camaraderie, <strong>and</strong> rekindle the special
bond the crew have with Cathay Pacific.
“Thanks <strong>to</strong> Facebook we were able <strong>to</strong> chat with Nimo
O’Connor, a fellow retiree, about getting retirees back
<strong>to</strong> Hong Kong for a homecoming,” says Mina Bi<strong>to</strong> from
Manila.
“Anne Cano-Shearer came onboard as the organiser
in Hong Kong <strong>and</strong> things started <strong>to</strong> happen,” she
adds.
The event was held at the Hong Kong Police Officers’
Club <strong>and</strong> there was a dazzling array of evening
gowns <strong>and</strong> national costumes.
Some of the guests joined CX in the 1960s,
though most were from the 70s <strong>and</strong> 80s.
Among those turning up <strong>to</strong> help ensure the evening
was a success were Chief Executive John Slosar,
ISD’s Pom Kumontamont, Kevin Ip, the Inflight Sales
Team <strong>and</strong> Employee Services Manager Bob Nipperess.
“The ballroom was filled with positive energy <strong>and</strong>
a lot of excitement at seeing friends <strong>and</strong> former colleagues,”
says co-organiser Mae Neilson.
“The evening was full of happy memories, but it
was not enough time for all the jubilation so another
party is already on the drawing board!” she adds.
The homecoming had a more serious side. An
objective of the event was “To Give Back <strong>to</strong> the
Community We Serve”, <strong>and</strong> more than HK$40,000
was raised in a silent auction.
The money will go <strong>to</strong> the Sunnyside Club <strong>and</strong>
another CX-supported charity in Tung Chung that
cares for senior citizens.
“It <strong>to</strong>ok more than a year <strong>to</strong> put <strong>to</strong>gether but the
response was tremendous. I would like <strong>to</strong> sincerely
thank everyone who helped make the event such a
resounding success!” says Anne Cano-Shearer.
* Pho<strong>to</strong>s courtesy of the organising committee

Linda Kendig, Manager
– IMM Hong Kong,
Boeing (Asia)
What is the main part of
your job?
The Boeing Integrated Materials
Management (IMM) programme
is a partnership between CX <strong>and</strong>
the Boeing Company.
Our daily focus is <strong>to</strong> provide
support on expendable/consumable
aircraft parts <strong>to</strong> ensure the
scheduled maintenance programmes
for CX have sufficient
parts available in s<strong>to</strong>ck when that
maintenance is required.
Our team provides the inven<strong>to</strong>ry
management, forecasting
projections <strong>and</strong> bin replenishment
of the parts ordering process.
To ensure the integrity of our
parts while they are s<strong>to</strong>red in
the s<strong>to</strong>ckroom bin, we perform
r<strong>and</strong>om audits which identify any
unserviceable, shelf life expired
or damaged parts that may have
found their way back in <strong>to</strong> the
s<strong>to</strong>ckroom.
We work closely with a team
of people within CX who assist
IMM with data management <strong>and</strong>
the loading of that data in<strong>to</strong> the
Ultramain system.
What is the advantage of
working out of Cathay City?
When you have an integrated
system, being at the cus<strong>to</strong>mers’
site is imperative in getting <strong>to</strong>
know exactly what the cus<strong>to</strong>mer
wants <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing their
needs.
We attend daily meetings with
maintenance <strong>and</strong> AOG Desk support
<strong>and</strong> this allows us <strong>to</strong> be as
close <strong>to</strong> the cus<strong>to</strong>mer as possible.
It helps us learn how we can
better support each other during
upcoming fleet retirements or
new aircraft being brought in<strong>to</strong>
service.
What do you like best about
your job?
After being here four years, I am
still meeting new people <strong>and</strong> facing
new challenges.
It encourages me <strong>to</strong> be able <strong>to</strong>
see achievements – for instance
the entry in<strong>to</strong> service of a new
aircraft such as the 747-800.
It is also great <strong>to</strong> know my
team has taken part in getting
grounded aircraft back in<strong>to</strong> service
again.
Sign of the times
Three Boeing 747-400s being retired from the fleet in September <strong>and</strong>
Oc<strong>to</strong>ber will go <strong>to</strong> the small Kemble facility in the UK. Captain Colin
Parker – a keen aviation pho<strong>to</strong>grapher – recently got the chance
<strong>to</strong> capture some striking images at the much bigger “bone yard” at
Vic<strong>to</strong>rville in California…
I recently had the memorable experience
of driving <strong>to</strong> the Southern
California Logistics Airport in Vic<strong>to</strong>rville.
This is one of the main aircraft
s<strong>to</strong>rage facilities in the United
States <strong>and</strong> along with others such
as Mojave, Marana <strong>and</strong> Tuscon
– all in dry desert locations – it acts
as a place where airlines <strong>and</strong> leasing
companies can s<strong>to</strong>re aircraft
for either the short or long term.
Some airlines temporarily s<strong>to</strong>re
aircraft when dem<strong>and</strong> is down,
while other aircraft are s<strong>to</strong>red until
new owners can be found.
Some, sadly, never fly again,
<strong>and</strong> the scrapping area at Vic<strong>to</strong>rville
always has a queue of planes
awaiting their final fate.
Located about three hours’ drive
from Los Angeles, Vic<strong>to</strong>rville is not
a public airport <strong>and</strong>, unfortunately,
there are no public <strong>to</strong>urs. However,
a drive around the perimeter fence
allows a good view of most of the
aircraft s<strong>to</strong>red here – though a
four-wheel drive is recommended.
I also rented a Cessna light aircraft
from nearby Apple Valley airport
<strong>and</strong> flew right over Vic<strong>to</strong>rville, taking
pho<strong>to</strong>s as I went (with the help of an
instruc<strong>to</strong>r pilot, of course!).
The airport allows general aviation
traffic <strong>and</strong> once we l<strong>and</strong>ed I
managed <strong>to</strong> get more pho<strong>to</strong>s of
aircraft in the short-term s<strong>to</strong>rage
area including a visit <strong>to</strong> B-HOO,
one of our 747-400s that was sent
for scrapping earlier this year.
It is sad but nonetheless interesting
<strong>to</strong> see around 200 airliners
– both older <strong>and</strong> more modern
models – being s<strong>to</strong>red, though it
can feel eerie being close <strong>to</strong> so
many aircraft without hearing the
sounds you usually associate with
a busy airport.
All you can hear is the wind <strong>and</strong>
the gentle clacking sound of engine
fan blades spinning in the breeze,
occasionally interrupted by the odd
tumbleweed passing by.
A Vic<strong>to</strong>rville visit is a must for
any enthusiast who happens <strong>to</strong> be
in the Los Angeles area <strong>and</strong> has a
day <strong>to</strong> spare.
BONEYARD BLUES: Colin’s striking but sad images taken as he flew over Vic<strong>to</strong>rville. Top: Several CX aircraft have been through the facility over the years.

New loading management system st<strong>and</strong>s out
Staff in several outports <strong>and</strong> the
Centralised Load Control (CLC)
team at HAS are already enjoying
the benefits of the next generation
aircraft weight <strong>and</strong> load management
system – the Altéa FM.
The system has been successfully
implemented in 17 Dragonair
ports around the region including
13 ports in Mainl<strong>and</strong> China as well
as Jeju, Okinawa, Chiang Mai <strong>and</strong>
Taichung.
“The support <strong>and</strong> guidance we
received was very good which
made adaptation <strong>to</strong> the new system
much easier,” says Wuhan Airport
Services Manager Susan Xia.
Features of the new system include
a user-friendly graphical format
which makes it much easier
Power <strong>to</strong> the people
Mainl<strong>and</strong> China project will be added <strong>to</strong> the FLY greener programme
The Guangdong Chaonan Shalong
wind project will be added <strong>to</strong> Cathay
Pacific’s FLY greener programme
in November, <strong>and</strong> the Environmental
Affairs team organised a visit <strong>to</strong>
learn more about the benefits the
wind farm brings.
Assistant Environmental Manager
Prian Chan says: “The project brings
clean energy <strong>to</strong> the local community
<strong>and</strong> employment <strong>to</strong> locals who may
otherwise have moved <strong>to</strong> neighbouring
cities,” he says.
Another FLY greener project is
also located in Guangdong, near
the <strong>to</strong>wn of Lankou.
“Both renewable energy projects
feed clean electricity in<strong>to</strong> the China
Southern Power Grid <strong>and</strong> help <strong>to</strong>
reduce local air pollutants. The two
are a good mix,” Prian adds.
The project was sourced through
First Climate <strong>and</strong> is part of the diversification
of China’s energy mix.
The electricity generated is sup-
<strong>to</strong> use, <strong>and</strong> staff are already commenting
on the advantages that it
brings.
Cus<strong>to</strong>mer Service Officer Brian
Xu says: “It’s an advanced system
<strong>and</strong> easy <strong>to</strong> use. We are saving
time by using FM as it can au<strong>to</strong>identify
errors which helps reduce
the mish<strong>and</strong>ling rate.”
Load Control Manager Tommy
Wong says he likes having more
functional displays such as loading
diagrams, trim graphs <strong>and</strong> loadsheets.
“This helps the load control officers
<strong>to</strong> moni<strong>to</strong>r weight <strong>and</strong> balance
with greater accuracy,” he says.
Deputy Manager Line Operations
Jim Ashby says: “From the
pilot’s perspective, the load sheet
format has been improved <strong>and</strong> the
presentation of non-st<strong>and</strong>ard fuel
loads has been simplified.”
Altéa FM is a key component of
the Altéa Departure Control Sys-
ENERGY DRIVEN: ENV organised a visit <strong>to</strong> the Guangdong wind project.
plied <strong>to</strong> the Guangdong Power Grid,
displacing the equivalent amount of
fossil fuel-generated energy.
Flight Purser Garius Hung who attended
the trip says she has always
been interested in environmental
ROLLING OUT: Celebrations as the implementation of Altéa FM begins.
issues.
“The rate of global warming is
alarming so I would like <strong>to</strong> learn
more about alternative sources of
energy. I was glad <strong>to</strong> know more
about the wind farm <strong>and</strong> why it’s a
tem (Altéa DCS) which will replace
CUPAC during PSS Phase 2. The
rollout <strong>to</strong> the selected ports represents
the first miles<strong>to</strong>ne <strong>to</strong>wards
full implementation.
clean <strong>and</strong> efficient way <strong>to</strong> generate
energy,” she says.
“I will pass on what I learned <strong>to</strong>
other staff <strong>and</strong>, as <strong>passengers</strong> can
now buy carbon offsets as part of the
inflight duty free sales programme, I
will be able <strong>to</strong> explain the project <strong>to</strong>
them in more detail,” Garius adds.
Prian says new projects are added
<strong>to</strong> the programme when CX runs
low on the existing s<strong>to</strong>ck of carbon
credits.
“There is a long list of items we
look at as part of our due diligence
process before a project is selected.
This particular one was chosen for
its proximity <strong>to</strong> Hong Kong, which
makes it easier <strong>to</strong> relate <strong>to</strong>, <strong>and</strong> the
strong balance
of environmental,
social <strong>and</strong>
economic benefits
<strong>to</strong> the local
community,” he
says.
Volunteers thanked for their ‘inspirational’ example
The “inspiring” work done by the CX Volunteers was in
the spotlight on 24 September at the annual appreciation
party, with Chief Operating Officer Ivan Chu <strong>and</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>r
Corporate Affairs Chitty Cheung thanking them for giving
up their free time as well as their personal commitment
<strong>to</strong> helping other people.
“The fact that you can find the time <strong>and</strong> effort <strong>to</strong> help
out in the community is an inspiration <strong>to</strong> your colleagues
<strong>and</strong> I hope it will encourage more staff <strong>to</strong> join you,” Chitty
said.
An exhibition panel <strong>and</strong> video featured various
activities the CX Volunteers had participated in.
Ten staff were recognised for contributing the
highest number of service hours in 2011 – ISD’s
Yvonne Lim, Mary Potenciano Ii, Nasreen Irani
<strong>and</strong> Socorro Hall, ENG’s Raymond Ng, CCP’s
Danny Chow, PSS’s Catherine Lam, CGO’s Kinna
But, CPL’s Amelia Fung <strong>and</strong> REV’s Melissa Mok.
Briefs
Win big with Cargo!
Cathay Pacific will take delivery
of its eighth Boeing 747-8F in
Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>and</strong>, <strong>to</strong> celebrate, CX
World has combined with the
Cargo team for an interactive
staff competition.
Some great prizes will be on
offer including luxury hotel stays
<strong>and</strong> collectable freighter models.
The CX cargo website will
also be sporting a refreshed
look <strong>and</strong> feel with enhanced
functionality from early November.
The new site will provide a
more user-friendly experience
for cus<strong>to</strong>mers.
All the details will be in the
November issue of CX World
– so stay tuned!
Fuel surcharge up
The Hong Kong Civil Aviation
Department approved an
increase in passenger fuel
surcharges for Oc<strong>to</strong>ber as fuel
prices edged upwards again.
The surcharge for short-haul
flights is up 1.2% <strong>to</strong> HK$246
while the long-haul surcharge
has risen by 3.4% <strong>to</strong> HK$1,093.
Flu vaccinations for Hong
Kong staff
The Corporate Medical Department
has launched its annual
seasonal influenza vaccination
programme, with shots available
for Hong Kong staff <strong>and</strong>
eligible dependants at a cost of
HK$20 per vaccine.
The shots are available now
at Quality HealthCare Medical
Services Centres, Raffles
Medical Group <strong>and</strong> Dr Vio &
Partners until s<strong>to</strong>ck lasts.
Details of the offer <strong>and</strong> the
location of clinics can be found
on the CMD site on IntraCX or
the QHMS website.
The flu vaccine is updated
every year <strong>to</strong> combat the flu
viruses that research indicates
are most likely <strong>to</strong> cause illness
during the upcoming season.
No ID travel on PR
Philippine Airlines (PR) has
advised that it will not accept ID
tickets from 13 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>to</strong> 17
November due <strong>to</strong> its migration
<strong>to</strong> a new reservations system.
The embargo applies <strong>to</strong> all ID
tickets – duty, leisure, firm <strong>and</strong>
sub-load – so staff travellers are
advised <strong>to</strong> secure alternative
flight options.
PR will provide updates when
its network is reopened <strong>to</strong> ID
travel.

New product
a highlight on
the Paris route
It has been a busy time for the Paris team with the official
opening of a new lounge at Paris Charles De Gaulle
(Roissy) Airport on 25 September <strong>and</strong> the start of Premium
Economy Class on the route on 2 September.
Alongside this, the team also launched a special promotion
with famous department s<strong>to</strong>re Lafayette.
The first PEY <strong>passengers</strong> were greeted with a welcome
gift of chocolates, with the team receiving some initial
feedback on the new product from <strong>passengers</strong>, who
commented on the improved seating <strong>and</strong> extra space.
“One elderly lady who was visiting her family said it
would be her class of travel from now on,” says Country
Manager France Kin<strong>to</strong> Chan.
A promotion with Lafayette department s<strong>to</strong>re for Hong
Kong <strong>and</strong> Taiwan <strong>passengers</strong> is also running until March
next year with travellers who book online receiving a
range of benefits.
“The Lafayette s<strong>to</strong>re is well known in the Hong Kong
<strong>and</strong> Taiwanese market <strong>and</strong> the response from <strong>passengers</strong>
has been positive, with CX being the only carrier
in these markets <strong>to</strong> benefit from this campaign,” Kin<strong>to</strong>
says.
An added <strong>to</strong>uch is a dedicated counter within the department
s<strong>to</strong>re for Hong Kong <strong>and</strong> Taiwan <strong>to</strong>urists with
Can<strong>to</strong>nese <strong>and</strong> Pu<strong>to</strong>nghua speakers.
A slightly retimed schedule in the coming winter schedule
will further provide connectivity <strong>to</strong> more destinations
across the CX <strong>and</strong> KA networks.
“We worked with French train company SNCF <strong>to</strong> provide
a shorter connecting time between CX flights <strong>and</strong>
our code-share TGV train services <strong>to</strong> provincial France,”
Kin<strong>to</strong> says.
An extended interline agreement with Air France covers
new destinations in the Iberian Peninsula.
“Our oneworld partner Iberia serves another airport in
Paris which makes transitting <strong>to</strong> Spain via Paris a bit difficult,”
Kin<strong>to</strong> explains.
“France is the closest country <strong>to</strong> the Iberian Peninsula
<strong>and</strong> as Air France flights also leave from Terminal 2, the
connection is much easier for our <strong>passengers</strong>.
“All these initiatives are designed <strong>to</strong> improve the cus<strong>to</strong>mer
experience <strong>and</strong> exp<strong>and</strong> the coverage of the CX
Paris flights,” he adds.
A CUT ABOVE: (Below)
Chief Executive John
Slosar is joined by CX
managers <strong>and</strong> airport
officials <strong>to</strong> officially
open the new lounge.
(Right) The Paris team
welcome the first
Premium Economy
Class <strong>passengers</strong> on
the route.
Still flying high
There was centuries of aviation experience on board CX108 from
Auckl<strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> Hong Kong on 20 September when five former Royal
Air Force World War II pilots boarded the flight <strong>to</strong> travel <strong>to</strong> London
<strong>to</strong> visit the Bomber Comm<strong>and</strong> Memorial in Green Park.
The five RAF pilots were not eligible <strong>to</strong> travel with
former Royal New Zeal<strong>and</strong> Air Force pilots who had
made the journey, with New Zeal<strong>and</strong> Government
assistance, <strong>to</strong> attend the unveiling ceremony for the
memorial held earlier this year.
Thanks <strong>to</strong> a wealthy benefac<strong>to</strong>r who paid for the
airfares for the five airmen <strong>and</strong> their spouses, they were
able <strong>to</strong> travel <strong>to</strong> London <strong>and</strong> see the memorial as well as
inspect a still-operational Lancaster plane similar <strong>to</strong> the
ones they had flown during the war.
IATA chief drops by
IATA Direc<strong>to</strong>r General & CEO <strong>and</strong> former CX Chief Executive
Tony Tyler <strong>to</strong>ok time out <strong>to</strong> pay a visit <strong>to</strong> the Japan team when he
was in <strong>to</strong>wn for an IATA event.
He talked <strong>to</strong> the staff about his new role <strong>and</strong> how impressed he
was with the way CX staff in Japan dealt with the earthquake last
March during what was a very difficult time for the country.
Celebrations for two
new office openings
Staff in Dubai are now enjoying new surroundings
with the opening of a Reservation
Sales office <strong>and</strong> an Airport office in the
same week.
The Reservation Sales office has been
completely redesigned <strong>to</strong> align with the latest
br<strong>and</strong> guidelines <strong>and</strong> offers a contemporary
functional workspace.
The office was opened on 13 September
by General Manager South Asia, Middle
East & Africa Tom Wright <strong>and</strong> Country Manager
UAE & Oman Brian Yuen.
They were joined by senior management
from CX Dubai’s general sales agent, Al
Naboodah Travels & Tourism Agencies.
The highlight of the event was the ribbon<strong>and</strong>
cake-cutting ceremonies, after
which Tom presented a crystal Betsy
plaque <strong>to</strong> the Chairman of the Al
Naboodah Commercial Group,
Swaidan Al Naboodah.
The Airport Office was also
opened by Tom <strong>and</strong> Brian
<strong>to</strong>gether with Airport Services
Manager S<strong>and</strong>eep Pillay
<strong>and</strong> 30 staff from the Airport,
Cargo <strong>and</strong> Engineering
teams.
As the group noted, the Lancaster is smaller than CX’s A340
plane which they boarded <strong>to</strong> Hong Kong.
The group was met by CX108 Captain Peter Beckett <strong>and</strong>
Auckl<strong>and</strong> Airport staff Maria Chow <strong>and</strong> Tricia Maskell.
Hello, goodbye
Staff in Thail<strong>and</strong> gathered <strong>to</strong> farewell
Maggie Yeung <strong>and</strong> welcome Leslie Lu
as her successor as Country Manager
Thail<strong>and</strong>.
The night included farewell <strong>and</strong>
welcome speeches by Maggie <strong>and</strong> Leslie
followed by karaoke.
A separate event was held for travel
industry partners <strong>and</strong> agents as well as
Marco Polo Club member <strong>to</strong> meet Leslie
<strong>and</strong> say goodbye <strong>to</strong> Maggie.
General Manager Southeast Asia
Wilson Yam was also present at that
event.
He also highlighted how the current global economic
situation is making it extremely hard for airlines <strong>to</strong> operate
profitably.
He said the team at IATA are lobbying on behalf of airlines
<strong>to</strong> lower airport charges <strong>and</strong> regional carbon taxschemes such
as the Emissions Trading Scheme in Europe.

Country manager
h<strong>and</strong>over
The Kuala Lumpur team hosted a
cocktail party for travel <strong>and</strong> cargo
agents <strong>and</strong> business partners <strong>to</strong>
farewell Country Manager Malaysia
& Brunei M<strong>and</strong>y Wu.
The event was also an opportunity
for her successor Melody Keung
<strong>to</strong> meet the industry people who she
will be working closely with over the
next few years.
His<strong>to</strong>ric moment
for cargo
Staff innovate <strong>to</strong> grow
After two months of running the Taiwan Innovation Project, the
final round of the competition was held in August with 80 staff from
across Taiwan taking part.
The 10 groups presented the innovative ideas they had spent
the past two months refining. The ideas covered changes in their
busines or workplace <strong>and</strong> communication with travel agents.
Special guest judges included Direc<strong>to</strong>r & General Manager
Asia Miles Stephen Wong, Country Manager
Korea Clarence Chung, Head of Organisation
Development & Change Graham Barkus <strong>and</strong>
Hong Kong-based Marco Polo Club member
David Cheung.
General Manager Taiwan & Korea Vivian
Lo said: “Though this is a competition, the
spirit of cooperation is the most important
thing.” She encouraged staff <strong>to</strong> continuously
use innovative ways of thinking <strong>to</strong> overcome
difficulties.
The final winners were the Innovatus team with staff from the
Taoyuan Airport Cargo <strong>and</strong> Engineering departments <strong>and</strong> the
GivMe 5 team from Taipei Town Office.
The event also included a farewell dinner for Sales Manager
Cliff Lee who left CX after 35 years of service.
The cargo team in Colombo had a busy time on 26 August
when an ad hoc charter carrying an aircraft engine from
Hong Kong s<strong>to</strong>pped in the country on the way <strong>to</strong> Europe.
The engine, which was for a SriLankan Airlines aircraft,
was offloaded before yet another engine was loaded on
board along with an extra 7.5 <strong>to</strong>ns of general cargo <strong>to</strong>
Germany.
It was a great opportunity <strong>to</strong> highlight the ability of the
local team as well as <strong>to</strong> show the potential in the Sri Lanka
cargo market.
Day out with Boeing
The Vancouver team hosted a group of travel agents,
<strong>and</strong> media <strong>to</strong> a day at the Boeing fac<strong>to</strong>ry in Seattle. The
<strong>to</strong>ur included a VIP fac<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong>ur, lunch at Boeing’s Future
of Flight museum <strong>and</strong> an onboard <strong>to</strong>ur of B-KQC the day
before it was due <strong>to</strong> fly out <strong>to</strong> Hong Kong.
The event gave the group a chance <strong>to</strong> experience the
new Premium Economy cabin as well as the new longhaul
Economy Class seats.
The Vancouver team also <strong>to</strong>ok part in a beach cleanup
operation <strong>to</strong> tidy up the shoreline of Iona Beach which
is in the vicinity of the airport. The group of 50 volunteers
from different organisations in the city included
Sales Manager Western Canada Chris V<strong>and</strong>en Hooven
<strong>and</strong> Corporate Communications Supervisor Jennifer
Pearson.
Bubbling over
Along one of Frankfurt’s main
shopping areas is a bubble tea
s<strong>to</strong>re decorated with brightly coloured
car<strong>to</strong>on characters.
The brainchild of Cargo
Officer Jerry Wong, the
s<strong>to</strong>re, which opened
earlier this year, is bringing
popular Asian drinks
<strong>to</strong> Europe.
Jerry’s parents moved <strong>to</strong>
Germany 40 years ago from Hong
Kong <strong>and</strong> went in<strong>to</strong> the restaurant
business.
“Even though I was born in
Mannheim, I learned <strong>to</strong> love bubble
tea when I visited my gr<strong>and</strong>parents
in Hong Kong,” Jerry says.
“As I got older, I wanted <strong>to</strong> share
my favourite drink in Germany but
didn’t want it <strong>to</strong> be <strong>to</strong>o big. With
some friends, we created an online
ordering system where people could
create their own bubble tea flavour,”
he adds.
TASTE OF HOME:
Jerry’s bubble tea
passion has blossomed
in<strong>to</strong> two
s<strong>to</strong>res.
His s<strong>to</strong>re, Jellybubble, opened in February <strong>and</strong> also sells
buns, egg tarts <strong>and</strong> Hong Kong-style egg waffles.
The s<strong>to</strong>re offers more than 800 bubble tea combinations,
but the most popular is Tropical Rush – an apple/peach
fruit tea with strawberry bubbles <strong>and</strong> lemon jelly.
“The locals have really taken <strong>to</strong> the drinks <strong>and</strong> we use
Facebook giveaways <strong>and</strong> a YouTube channel as promotional
<strong>to</strong>ols,” Jerry says.
A second s<strong>to</strong>re has already opened in the <strong>to</strong>wn of Hofheim
<strong>and</strong> one is being planned in Norway.
“Juggling the job <strong>and</strong> the s<strong>to</strong>res is hard but I have a great
family in Frankfurt that help out <strong>and</strong> everybody is working
hard for the s<strong>to</strong>re right now,” Jerry says.
Go <strong>to</strong> www.jellybubble.de <strong>to</strong> learn more.
The running man
Finance Manager Australia Stephen Hinwood started running
about eight years ago <strong>and</strong> participated in various races
<strong>and</strong> half marathons before taking part in his first Sydney
Westlink M7 Marathon in July.
His goal going in<strong>to</strong> the 42-kilometre event was <strong>to</strong> finish
in less than three hours <strong>and</strong> he achieved that goal by coming
in at two hours 59 minutes.
“I have been wanting <strong>to</strong> run a marathon for about four
years now but every time I started the training I got injured
after a few weeks, so I concentrated
on the shorter distances <strong>and</strong> shelved
the idea of running a marathon,” Stephen
says.
“A sub three-hour marathon is a
very challenging goal which many
runners aspire <strong>to</strong>. But all my training
paid off <strong>and</strong> I have achieved
a goal which I thought I would
never reach,” he adds.
As any runner will tell you,
the training required for a marathon
is gruelling, <strong>and</strong> determination
<strong>and</strong> discipline are needed.
“I followed an 18-week advanced
marathon programme <strong>and</strong>
ran more than 110 kilometres per
week, starting at 4:30am during
the week so I could make it <strong>to</strong> the
office on time,” he says.
“Despite this I would encourage everyone
<strong>to</strong> get in<strong>to</strong> running. It is a great
way <strong>to</strong> get fit <strong>and</strong> have fun, you meet
lots of people <strong>and</strong> you are outdoors,”
Stephen adds.
POUNDING PAVEMENTS: Stephen
has achieved his marathon goal.
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Flight
Attendant
Zoel
Assagaff
1. Why are you
often recognised by Indonesian
<strong>passengers</strong>?
I was previously a news anchor
<strong>and</strong> reporter for a local TV station.
2. How did you get in<strong>to</strong>
journalism?
I studied public relations at university
during which I supported
myself with modelling jobs. After
graduation a scout from a station
offered a job.
3. What is your most memorable
experience?
I was assigned <strong>to</strong> follow the President
for a year <strong>and</strong> almost every
day I met government officials.
4. You also <strong>to</strong>ok won the
Indonesia Cosmo Man
competition in 2010?
I was invited by Cosmopolitan
magazine <strong>to</strong> take part – they were
looking for men with energy <strong>and</strong> a
positive attitude.
5. What is the biggest challenge
you faced?
The extreme food section when
we had <strong>to</strong> eat a snake. I lost that
round!
6. Why did you join CX?
I went <strong>to</strong> an interview with a friend
in Jakarta – she didn’t pass but
I did!
7. From TV anchor <strong>to</strong> cabin
crew – that must be a hard
move <strong>to</strong> make?
Yes, especially as my career was
doing so well at the time. But I
chose CX because of its famous
br<strong>and</strong> name, <strong>and</strong> the opportunity
<strong>to</strong> work outside Indonesia.
8. How has the switch been
for you?
I have had more time <strong>to</strong> enjoy life
than working in journalism which
has strict deadlines <strong>to</strong> meet.
9. Is there any connection
between the two jobs?
As a reporter, I learned the importance
of seeing the person <strong>and</strong> not
just the s<strong>to</strong>ry. So if something
happens inflight, I try <strong>to</strong>
see the situation from the
passenger’s point of view.
10. What do you like
most about
being a cabin
crew?
The travel.
Connecting with her roots
It may have literally been a world
away but China, <strong>and</strong> specifically
China’s children with disabilities,
was on the minds of hundreds
of people in Vancouver as they
strolled around Stanley Park on a
crisp autumn day taking part in the
annual Walk the Wall event.
One of them was Personnel
Administra<strong>to</strong>r Elizabeth Moy, who
<strong>to</strong>ok part with her two daughters
<strong>and</strong> husb<strong>and</strong>.
The 10-kilometre walk is the
length of the Great Wall of China
<strong>and</strong> the money raised goes <strong>to</strong> nonprofit
organisation International
China Concern (ICC) which helps
ab<strong>and</strong>oned children <strong>and</strong> kids with
disabilities in the Mainl<strong>and</strong>.
“There are two care facilities in
Changsha <strong>and</strong> Hengyang in Hunan
Province wiith a third facility
in Sanmenxia in Henan Province,”
Elizabeth says.
“ICC was founded in 1993 by
David Gotts who was only 19 at the
time. Over the years, the organisation
has worked extremely hard in
ironing out many issues <strong>and</strong> is now
working closely with the Chinese
government <strong>to</strong> provide the necessary
care that these children <strong>and</strong>
adults with disabilities need,” she
adds.
IN STEP: Elizabeth with her daughters <strong>and</strong> ICC founder David Gotts before Vancouver’s Walk the Wall event.
Elizabeth’s family has been involved
with the event for the past
few years.
“In the beginning, there was no
actual walk, just an opportunity <strong>to</strong>
financially support the volunteers
at the care facilities,” she says.
“But the fact that one of the fa-
The Miss Hong Kong 40th anniversary pageant held earlier this
year provided plenty of excitement for Vancouver-based Flight
Attendant Cynthia Tsang.
This year overseas c<strong>and</strong>idates from Canada, New York <strong>and</strong>
Australia were chosen <strong>to</strong> participate, before 38 women were
chosen out of hundreds of applicants.
“I passed the interview in Vancouver <strong>and</strong> within a week I
was <strong>to</strong>ld I had been chosen. I was very happy <strong>and</strong> excited <strong>to</strong>
compete. The Vancouver-based crew were very supportive <strong>and</strong>
encouraging <strong>and</strong> it was a great motivation <strong>to</strong> have such strong
support,” Cynthia says.
As it was the 40th anniversary of the event, participants
were taken on severa overseas trips with eliminations made
cilities is in Changsha caught my
attention because of a family connection,”
Elizabeth adds.
Elizabeth’s father is from Hunan
<strong>and</strong> Changsha is the closest city
<strong>to</strong> Lin Shang village where he was
born.
“Although I have never been
throughout the contest.
“We went <strong>to</strong> Bangkok, Koh Samui, London <strong>and</strong> the Mainl<strong>and</strong>
<strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong>ok part in challenges along the way,” Cynthia says.
“We were filmed everywhere we went, so it did feel a bit like
a reality show, <strong>and</strong> there were a lot of challenges similar <strong>to</strong> the
ones on America’s Next Top Model or Survivor. In one challenge
two girls were left on a private isl<strong>and</strong> in Koh Samui where they
had <strong>to</strong> build their own tent <strong>and</strong> stay overnight. I was worried
<strong>and</strong> then felt bad for them when they came back covered in
mosqui<strong>to</strong> bites,” she adds.
Cynthia says it was a life-changing experience that
taught her the importance of reaching for your goals
<strong>and</strong> dreams.
“We learned how <strong>to</strong> h<strong>and</strong>le the catwalk, the
importance of posture <strong>and</strong> the importance of an
entire elegant look,” she says.
“As a crew I deal with different people <strong>and</strong>
different cultures so I have a lot of people skills,
which helped a lot. What I learned most from
this experience that I will take back <strong>to</strong> my job is
the importance of a first impression,” she adds.
Cynthia made it <strong>to</strong> the last round of 10
contestants before being eliminated during
the final televised show in August.
“My favourite part was the dancing for
the final performance with Can<strong>to</strong>-pop star
Aaron Kwok’s dance instruc<strong>to</strong>r Sonny Wong.
I have no experience in dancing <strong>and</strong> they were
very patient <strong>and</strong> made it a lot of fun. It was also a
great feeling <strong>to</strong> know that I had done well in that
performance,” she says.
Cynthia is now back at work <strong>and</strong> gets the
occasional second glance from <strong>passengers</strong>.
“It feels strange <strong>to</strong> be recognised by
<strong>passengers</strong>. But I was also on the cover of the
Discover the Shop magazine for a few months,
so I wasn’t sure if they recognised me from the
contest or from the magazine!” she says.
<strong>to</strong> Hunan, my father always been
very concerned about his birthplace.
Supporting the care facility
gives me the opportunity <strong>to</strong> connect
<strong>to</strong> my roots,” she says.
If you would like <strong>to</strong> learn more
about the Walk the Wall event, go
<strong>to</strong> www.walkthewall.org
Journey <strong>to</strong> the Miss HK final

Veteran bids farewell
When Peter Yeung first joined CX in 1972, little did he know that just
over four decades later he would be celebrating his retirement <strong>and</strong>
receiving his 40-year long-service pin on the same day.
“This is the only company I ever worked for. I put down my school
bag one day <strong>and</strong> joined CX the next,” he says.
Peter started on 10 April 1972 as a messenger travelling around
Hong Kong <strong>and</strong> held five different positions before ending up as a
Travel Services Advisor.
Peter particularly enjoyed his time working at the Swire House
office.
“I arranged the travel, issued tickets <strong>and</strong> arranged hotels – basically
doing everything for the staff there. Even when they moved
offices, I had <strong>to</strong> plan all that out,” he says.
One of the senior managers he worked with was previous CX
Chairman Peter Sutch, whom he retains fond memories of.
“He was a very nice man <strong>and</strong> he treated everyone the same
whether they were managers or junior staff – everyone was important
<strong>to</strong> him,” Peter says.
Peter doesn’t have any set plans for his retirement other than <strong>to</strong>
enjoy himself, but the first important event was his son’s wedding in
September.
“My daughter-in-law is
Malaysian so we held
a dinner in both countries,
which made the
first few days of retirement
very exciting,” he
says.
LIFELONG
JOB: Peter
receives
his longservice
pin
from Direc<strong>to</strong>r
Personnel
William Chau.
First prize this month is a onenight
stay in a Regal Club Room
with breakfast at the Regal
Shanghai East Asia Hotel.
Located in the Shanghai
Stadium, the 349-room property
is in the heart of Xu Jia Hui
commercial <strong>and</strong> shopping centre
<strong>and</strong> within walking distance of
the high-speed railway <strong>and</strong> metro line.
Privileges for Regal Club guests include private express
check-in <strong>and</strong> check-out, buffet breakfast, evening canapés <strong>and</strong> free
pressing of two pieces of clothing per day.
Hotel guests can choose from five restaurants including the Stadium
Café which provides panoramic views of the stadium <strong>and</strong> a range of
international cuisine, the Japanese restaurant Ruri Relish <strong>and</strong> the finedining
Peak Chinese restaurant.
Visit www.regalhotel.com for more.
The second prize winner will receive
a 29-piece Shanghai dinner set
from Maxwell & Williams, which is
the perfect complement for a home
looking for a modern twist on Chinese
tableware.
Maxwell & Williams dinner sets
are the real deal when it comes <strong>to</strong>
timeless, classic <strong>and</strong> stylish white porcelain. This first quality
porcelain collection is dishwasher, freezer, microwave <strong>and</strong> conventional
oven safe.
Maxwell & Williams started from humble beginnings in Melbourne but
<strong>to</strong>day is a global br<strong>and</strong> with a presence in over 30 countries around the
world including the USA, the UK, Germany, Italy <strong>and</strong> Canada.
For more information, go <strong>to</strong> www.maxwell<strong>and</strong>williams.com
To enter, visit the online quiz entry form on the CX World site.
The deadline is noon on Friday, 9 November.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Senior managers cut in<strong>to</strong>
a special cake designed by the Headl<strong>and</strong> Hotel <strong>to</strong>
mark CX’s 66th birthday.
LAST SUPPER: The Corporate Communication team
says goodbye <strong>to</strong> Quince Chong.
CELEBRATING – GANGNAM STYLE: The AUH team
get some Korean pop spirit for Vincent Yu’s birthday.
RUNNING GANG: Six Seoul staff <strong>to</strong>ok part in the
Tongyeong Triathlon World Cup in September.
MOVING ON: ENG managers presented Sunny Lam with a
gift as he retired after 20 years of dedicated service.
BIRTHDAY BLESSING: Karachi’s Shahid
Iqbal Khan celebrates his special day with
colleagues on the Airport team.
THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT: IMT staff say goodbye
<strong>to</strong> Application Support Manager Vic<strong>to</strong>r Wong who
worked for CX for 40 years.
DOGGONE IT!: Ali Bullock with his
unique leaving present.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!: The CX team emerged
triumphant at the Swire Table Tennis Challenge.
BIRD MAN: Tom Bellamy <strong>and</strong> his chickens – a birthday
gift from his Nepal colleagues. He manages a
fresh omelette every morning thanks <strong>to</strong> the birds.

Getting
purified
Flight Attendant
Ari Kusumawardana pho<strong>to</strong>graphed
a religious ceremony in Bali
Earlier this year, I attended a religious ceremony in
Bali called Nyepi, which is a “Day of Silence” during
which devotees spend some time in silence, fasting,
<strong>and</strong> meditation.
A few days beforeh<strong>and</strong>, Hindus perform a ritual
called Melasti. The Melasti ceremony is a religious
ritual <strong>to</strong> purify or remove debris in your life <strong>and</strong> is
symbolised by putting offerings in<strong>to</strong> the sea.
The process expunges all impure words, thoughts
<strong>and</strong> deeds <strong>and</strong> the ceremony can be performed at
the sea or by a lake.
The ritual begins with a reading of the prayer <strong>to</strong>
Sang Hyang Wasa Widhi led by the Begawan.
The beautiful incantation is then followed by the attendees
holding up their h<strong>and</strong>s <strong>to</strong> beg for the blessing
<strong>and</strong> forgiveness, <strong>and</strong> a traditional Balinese dance is
performed.
The holy water is taken by the Begawan <strong>to</strong> be distributed
before offerings are presented <strong>to</strong> the sea.
Every attendee is required <strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>uch the holy water
as a symbol of the washing out of all impurities.
Part 1
Part 2
FLOWING
WATERS:
Devotees take
part in a Melasti
ceremony during
which all
impurities are
ritualistically
washed away.
This month’s contribution comes
from Flight Attendant Kelly Hui <strong>and</strong>
shows the Yang Zhuo Yong Holy
Lake <strong>and</strong> a desert in Tibet.
“The lake lies at 4,790 metres
above sea level among the
mountain peaks. It has beautiful
water <strong>and</strong> since it is at really
high level, it is like a nature’s
mirror with the reflection of the
blue sky on the lake,” she says.
As she was on her way back <strong>to</strong> Lhasa, she passed through a
wide swath of desert.
“I saw this magnificent sight of a Tibetan man crossing the desert with
hundreds, if not thous<strong>and</strong>s of sheep. From what I could see, they were
the only things in the whole desert,” Kelly says.
Meeting with Mickey
Hong Kong Disneyl<strong>and</strong> is offering CX staff
a special offer of 25% off the rack rate
on all room categories at the Hong Kong
Disneyl<strong>and</strong> Hotel or Disney’s Hollywood Hotel
from Monday <strong>to</strong> Thursday <strong>and</strong> 15% off the
rack rate on Friday <strong>and</strong> Saturday.
The offer includes 10% off one-day Park
tickets.
Visi<strong>to</strong>rs can enjoy attractions, rides <strong>and</strong>
shows in six themed l<strong>and</strong>s including Toy S<strong>to</strong>ry
L<strong>and</strong>, Fantasyl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Adventurel<strong>and</strong>.
More details on Travel Desk.
Tastes of Malaysia
Throughout Oc<strong>to</strong>ber, cooking
classes <strong>and</strong> gourmet <strong>to</strong>urs will
be held <strong>to</strong> celebrate the Malaysia
International Gourmet Festival.
Guests can <strong>to</strong>ur the Theatre of
Cuisines <strong>and</strong> enjoy the Festival
Menus in a range of cuisines, from Malaysian
favourites <strong>to</strong> French, Italian, Western, Latin
American, Cuban, Lebanese, Japanese <strong>and</strong>
Korean.
The Gourmet Village features more than
80 stalls showcasing gourmet food <strong>and</strong>
drink, including premium meats, ice-cream,
chocolates, wines, milk, cheeses <strong>and</strong> oysters.
Also on the schedule is a range of Master
Chef cooking
classes <strong>and</strong>
workshops on
wine <strong>and</strong> coffee.
Go <strong>to</strong> www.
migf.com for
more information.
Whisky worldwide
The WhiskyFest will be held in the New York
Marriott Marquis’ Broadway Ballroom from 26-
27 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber with more than 250 of the world’s
finest whiskies on display for visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> taste
including Scotch <strong>and</strong> Irish whiskies, the best
bourbons <strong>and</strong> Tennessee whiskies <strong>and</strong> the
best from Canada.
High-end rums, tequilas <strong>and</strong> beer are also
on the menu, as well as food
throughout the night <strong>to</strong> soak it all
up with.
More information at www.
whisky-advocate.com.
SHOW US YOUR TIPS!
CX World welcomes staff travel tips from
across the network – email us at CCD#SCT
Every month, CX World invites all CX
staff <strong>to</strong> tell unusual, interesting or just
downright quirky tales of travel moments
around the world.
Sponsored by Inflight Sales, the lucky
sender of the main s<strong>to</strong>ry receives HK$500
worth of inflight sales products of their
choice from the ever-changing collection
of over 260 items on
offer (excluding liquor
<strong>and</strong> cigarettes).
Go shopping at
www.cathaypacific.
com/dutyfree