12Dawn has not long broken - Cathay Pacific

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While it is great that we have recycle bins on
every floor in Cathay City to encourage all of
us to recycle more, without knowing what can
and cannot be recycled, we can actually do
more harm than good.
One notable misconception is that most paper
products are recyclable, including used paper
cups, soiled napkins, paper bags and paper
plates. The reality is paper products that are
contaminated by food, oil, grease or organic
waste are not recyclable.
Not only that such contaminants cannot be
separated from the paper fibre in the pulping
process and will ruin the entire mixture (which
will end up in landfills rather than as new paper),
soiled paper also poses
a health hazard to those
who work in recycling
plants as it can harbour
viruses, bacteria and
moulds.
Similarly, fax paper or
paper mixed/lined with
Guitar blues
In March I travelled to Manila on CX905 and
brought along a new guitar for my children.
During check-in I was told that the guitar
needed to be checked in as baggage and
would not be allowed inside the cabin.
Since the guitar was inside a sturdy case
and marked fragile, I was confident that it
would arrive in Manila without any problems.
However, when I retrieved the guitar
from the baggage conveyor, I was shocked
and disappointed to find the case soaking
wet, inside as well as out.
I spent a lot of time at home drying both
the case and the guitar. Fortunately there
was no water damage to the guitar itself.
Can we review our current procedures to
ensure that musical instruments checked in
as baggage are handled and treated with
the utmost care?
Engineering staff, Hong Kong
Fancy Lam, Baggage Services Manager,
replies: We are sorry to learn that your
guitar was wet on arrival. Please contact me
with the flight date of the CX905 flight so
we can follow up with the Hong Kong and
Manila teams.
During adverse weather condition,
despite our best efforts, it is sometimes
plastic/wax are not recyclable.
Many of us are keen to protect the environment
and want to recycle more. May I suggest
that information on what can and cannot be recycled
is provided both on IntraCX and where
recycle bins are located, so that we can all recycle
smarter both at work and in our personal
lives?
Andrew Lee
Airline Purchasing
Prian Chan, Assistant Environmental
Manager, replies: Thanks for bringing this up,
Andrew. While more detailed information on
recycling is available on intraCX (ENV > Key
Environmental Issues > Green Tips > Waste
Handling in the Office), we will look into having
the information displayed more prominently to
ensure our good intentions have the maximum
impact.
We will also be looking into communicating
recycling information through CX World and
Daily News.
unavoidable that some baggage is exposed
to the elements. Having said that, we are
committed to taking all possible measures
to properly handle passengers’ baggage.
Staff can find info for the carriage of
musical instruments at www.cathaypacific.
com > Helping You Travel > Baggage >
Musical Instruments.
Subload
embarrassment
It’s a common practice nowadays wherein
subload passengers are offered the main
course, cheese and fruit and dessert service
last, regardless of where they are seated in
the Business Class cabin or whether they
have been upgraded or not.
Sometimes this practice causes unnecessary
embarrassment on the part of the
subload passengers and also brings them
to the attention of normal full-fare passengers,
especially if the seat layout is like that
of Regional Business Class.
I would like to know if this practice is acceptable,
as it was not taught in training
school but seems to be becoming the norm
nowadays. When travelling subload we are
asked to be as low-profile as possible but
this practice brings unnecessary attention
The winner of the CX World Star
Letter wins a pair of decidedly
quirky Quarkie earphones from
the UK.
Quarkie earphones were created
by a British and Asian design team
of music lovers, marrying striking
sound with eye-catching designs.
This month’s winner wins a pair
of striking Cat Eye phones featuring
British studio-monitor sound
quality.
Find Quarkie at Sogo, HMV, CD
Warehouse and other outlets in
Hong Kong.
from the rest of the passengers.
Flight Purser, Hong Kong
Le Le Ng, Inflight Service Standards Manager
in ISD, replies: Thank you for your letter.
Staff travellers should be afforded the same service
that CX is recognised for, both on ground
and inflight.
The flight experience of ID passengers should
reflect the service style of the class in which
they are travelling. In our Operating Manuals,
it clearly states that appropriate treatment
should be extended by cabin crew to ID passengers
and that, wherever possible, ID passengers
should be given the same meals, amenities
and service as revenue passengers.
Of course, our revenue passengers’ needs
must come first but we do ask our crew to treat
ID passengers with the same courtesy.
Picture this
Can more departments circulate their
organisation charts with photos attached? The
Distribution team has done it and it makes it so
much easier when dealing with colleagues one
has never actually met to see a face – and I’m sure
that’s true for both parties. There may be privacy
issues to overcome and manage, but in general
surely it would be a good goal within CX?
Faceless in the outports
Compassionate care
Crew and ground staff were
praised by a passenger
who had to fly from Riyadh
to New Zealand for a medical
emergency…
The passenger had to fly back home
with family members after hearing his
16-year-old niece had been in an accident
and her life was in the balance.
The flight from Riyadh was delayed
and the passenger praised the customer
service skills of the cabin crew and
Captain Glenn Devonport on CX648.
ISM Sit Meei Choong managed to
convince the ground staff to run with
the passengers to the departure gate for
the Auckland flight.
The passenger also praised Kennis
Cheng who rushed them through transit
and to Gate 48 at the Hong Kong
airport. “All of this was done with
kind words, warm hearts, and hopeful
wishes,” the passenger wrote.
“We wish to thank the staff specifically
involved for their care and fantastic listening
skills. In time, we hope to have
our niece back to complete health.”
Security savior
A customer wrote to praise
Passenger Services Officer
Ovais Mohammed for his
help and kindness in a desperate
moment…
The passenger carried a bottle of expensive
wine to the flight but was sent back
by security because the wine could not
pass through security.
She tried to check in the wine as
luggage, but the check-in counter was
closed. “Luckily, I met Ovais Mohammed
who was very helpful and intelligent
in solving my problem,” she wrote.
Ovais tried to contact her husband
by WhatsApp and other means but
his roaming service was down and he
couldn’t access WiFi in the airport.
“In the end it was through Ovais’
announcement over the PA that my
husband heard his name and was able to
go to the counter and get my expensive
wine,” she said.