Deep Dive: Pilot programme hopes to help Hong Kong reclaim its role as aviation hub as confidence in Cathay drops

Hong Kong Metropolitan University has collaborated with the Airport Authority’s International Aviation Academy to launch a new degree programme for aspiring pilots in September. The course offers a licence at a cost of HK$1 million in tuition fees.

The new qualification is part of a business administration bachelor’s degree in aviation services management, one aimed at speeding up pilot recruitment.

University president Paul Lam Kwan-sing said the four-year programme would allow students to earn two qualifications, saving candidates HK$60,000 compared with pursuing their pilot training separately.

The joint programme will be offered starting next academic year. Students will have the option to pursue cadet pilot training in the summer semester of their third year. The first batch of students for the joint programme is expected to commence pilot training in May 2025.

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The programme spans 14 months and includes six months of study in Hong Kong, followed by another eight months of flight practice in the United States. Students must undergo a minimum of 142 hours of flight training.

The course also offers preliminary interviews for trainees with the academy’s four partnered airlines – Hong Kong Airlines, HK Express, Greater Bay Airlines and Hong Kong Air Cargo – to help students secure conditional job offers. Cadets must also take a two-week multi-crew cooperation course.

Since the selection process started last September, the course has received more than 100 applications and has accepted 31 cadets in two classes. The academy aims to train 100 local cadets each year.

Academy president Simon Li Tin-chu said tuition fees could pose a challenge for aspiring pilots, but support from two banks and a finance company meant applicants could take out loans with favourable interest rates.

“Depending on the students’ creditworthiness, the loan schemes may provide a loan of 70 per cent to the full tuition fees, ensuring that students from different backgrounds have the opportunity to pursue this course,” he said.

Last year, the manufacturer Boeing estimated that 649,000 new pilots would be needed by 2042 to support the global commercial fleet, while 10,000 additional pilots are needed each year in China and Southeast Asia.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung believed that the collaboration would help solidify Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub, while enhancing its influence as a regional training centre.

“We can attract talent from mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas, opening a new chapter in aviation training in Hong Kong and enriching the local offerings in aviation professional training,” he said.

Staff writers

Question prompts:

1. Which of the following statements about the Hong Kong aviation programme are true?

(1) The five-year joint programme will be offered beginning from the next school year to speed up pilot recruitment.
(2) The first batch of students in the joint programme is expected to start their pilot training in May 2025.
(3) Graduates of the joint programme can gain qualifications in aviation services management and piloting.
(4) All students in the programme are eligible to apply for a loan that would fully cover tuition fees.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (4) only
C. (2), (3) only
D. (3), (4) only

2. According to Paul Lam, what are the advantages of the new programme?

3. To what extent do you agree with the views of Lam Sai-hung that the new programme will help solidify Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub? Explain using your own knowledge and News.

Question prompts

1. Identify ONE trend depicted in the chart.

2. Based on your own knowledge, suggest ONE reason behind the trend.

• Absent pilots, cancelled flights – airline says it has learned from ‘bad spell,’ but critics aren’t convinced

• Some say more competition is the way to raise standards, protect city’s aviation reputation

Cathay Pacific Airways cancelled 786 flights between December last year and February for reasons that ranged from internal planning failures to an “unanticipated and sustained increase” in pilot absences due to seasonal illness and increased flights over the year-end holiday season.

“I admit that this situation hasn’t been satisfactory and we’ve disappointed our customers,” said CEO Ronald Lam Siu-por, who apologised and said the airline had no structural manning problems. He added that the company had learned from its bad spell and that similar incidents would not occur again.

But critics worry the unsatisfactory recent events have hurt Hong Kong’s reputation as an international aviation hub.

They also questioned Cathay’s capability in light of Hong Kong International Airport’s third runway opening by the end of this year, boosting the hub’s capacity by 50 per cent to 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo annually.

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At the end of last year, Cathay said it would need an additional 500 pilots this year to restore the company to its full pre-pandemic capacity. However, due to an ongoing manpower shortage, the company was forced to push back its target for this goal from the end of this year to the first quarter of next year.

Flying to about 80 destinations worldwide, Cathay accounted for over half the airport’s passenger throughput last year, carrying more than 20 million passengers. The city now has three other local airlines: Greater Bay Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, and HK Express, which Cathay fully owns.

For Hong Kong to stay ahead in the international aviation game, some have recommended injecting stiffer competition, with Hong Kong granting more routes or traffic rights to other airlines.

“Hong Kong is too important to be overreliant on one airline now,” said business magnate Allan Zeman, suggesting the government explore grooming a second flag carrier.

The former Airport Authority member said competition would create many advantages for Hong Kong, such as bringing down airfares, attracting visitors, and possibly improving service.

But Law Cheung-kwok, a senior adviser at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s aviation policy and research centre, disagreed, saying: “The city’s aviation market is too small to allow the existence of two [flag carriers].”

He said it took years of effort and market development for Cathay to achieve its status as the city’s dominant airline.

“It’s the same everywhere in the world, where one country only has one [flag carrier] or national airline,” he said. “We have had other local airlines before, but they couldn’t survive.”

Staff writers

Question prompts:

1. According to the article, what concerns do critics raise regarding Cathay’s performance?

(1) The extensive number of flights cut over the year-end period.
(2) The airline’s capability to return to full capacity before the airport’s third runway opens this year.
(3) The airline’s unsatisfactory performance may hurt the city’s reputation as an international aviation hub.
(4) The airline’s poor management and operation.

A. (1), (2), (3) only
B. (2), (3), (4) only
C. (1), (2), (4) only
D. (1), (3), (4) only

2. How could the information in News help address the problems raised in Issue?

3. Allan Zeman suggested the government explore a second flag carrier to help the city stay ahead in the international aviation game. To what extent do you agree with him? Explain using your own knowledge, Issue, and Glossary.

Question prompts:

1. Based on Issue, what are the likely reasons behind the cancellations pictured in this photo from January 11?

2. Besides the programme mentioned in News, suggest ONE other way to reduce the number of Cathay’s flight cancellations.

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International Aviation Academy: the first civil aviation academy in Hong Kong, established by the Airport Authority Hong Kong in 2016. It offers a diverse aviation-related curriculum, including summer day camps, placement programmes and professional certificate courses.

new degree programme: a four-year programme from Hong Kong Metropolitan University and the Airport Authority’s International Aviation Academy. The course charges an annual tuition fee of HK$95,000, while students on an income-based government subsidy will pay HK$59,740 per year. Students opting for cadet pilot courses in their third year must pay an additional tuition fee of HK$740,000.

Boeing: a leading global aerospace company based in the US that develops, manufactures, and services commercial aeroplanes, defence products, and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

Cathay Pacific Airways: Hong Kong’s largest carrier, founded in 1946. It currently operates a fleet of over 150 aircraft and serves more than 170 destinations worldwide. Last year, the airline carried over 20 million passengers, about 56 per cent of the number from 2019.

flag carrier: an airline owned by the government that usually enjoys special privileges.

Hong Kong International Airport’s third runway: the 3,800-metre-long runway that started construction in 2016 and is expected to be completed this year. Once all three runways are operational, the airport’s passenger and cargo capacity are projected to increase significantly, handling approximately 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo annually.

News

1. C
2. The programme allows students to earn two qualifications and saves them HK$60,000 compared with pursuing their pilot training separately.
3. I largely agree with Lam’s view that the new programme has the potential to solidify Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub. Its focus on talent development in the aviation industry can effectively address the increasing demand for pilots. The partnership with four local airlines can provide graduates with employment opportunities, ultimately enhancing the city’s aviation capacity and preserving its reputation. (accept all other reasonable answers)

Chart

1. The total number of pilots employed by Cathay Pacific declined significantly, dropping from 3,840 in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 2,417 by April 2023. / The captain position witnessed the most substantial decrease, declining from 1,410 in 2019 to 678 in 2023, a loss of 732 positions. (accept other reasonable answers)

2. Covid-19 had a devastating impact on the aviation industry due to travel restrictions and reduced passenger demand, which in turn led to staff lay-offs./ Hong Kong has experienced an emigration wave since 2019, driven by the city’s political upheaval and uncertain environment, resulting in the departure of numerous expatriates, including foreign captains. (accept other reasonable answers)

Photo

1. The photo shows two cancelled flights by CX, the airline code for Cathay Pacific. It reflects the ‘bad spell’ Ronald Lam mentioned, which refers to the operational difficulties faced by the airline, with 789 flights cancelled between December and February. These were related to pilot absence due to seasonal illness and increased flights over the holiday season.

2. The airline can establish a task force to thoroughly review and identify the underlying problems that led to flight cancellations and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. / Cathay can enhance recruitment and retention strategies by offering staff attractive compensation and career development opportunities to help expedite the recovery of its capacity and maintain operational excellence. (accept other reasonable answers)

Issue

1. A
2. Introducing a new joint programme in aviation services management and pilot training can effectively cultivate a larger pool of skilled individuals in the industry. It can address the existing pilot shortage and prevent future incidents.
3. I agree with Zeman’s viewpoint to some extent, as the size of Hong Kong’s aviation market may not be able to support multiple flag carriers. Law, a senior adviser from CUHK, mentioned that previous attempts to establish other local airlines were unsuccessful due to the limited market size and resources. Being the longest-established airline in Hong Kong since its founding in 1946, Cathay Pacific has gradually grown to become the dominant flag carrier through years of dedication and effort. Therefore, introducing a second carrier may not be a feasible way to solve the problems faced by the city’s aviation industry.

Having more airlines could introduce competition and provide passengers with additional options, but talent and resource shortages would make it difficult to sustain a new airline in the current market. The existing manpower shortage faced by Cathay Pacific indicates the challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled workers. Additionally, the allocation of limited airport resources and airspace capacity could pose further constraints on the viability of a second flag carrier. (accept other reasonable answers)