Airline staff threaten to withhold smiles

HONG KONG (AP):

Flight attendants at Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific Airways are threatening to withhold food, alcohol, and even smiles from passengers during the Christmas holidays, over a pay dispute, a union official said yesterday.

Cabin staff at the airline, which has a reputation for top-notch service, voted at a union meeting this week in favour of industrial action that could also result in flight delays.

Union demands

The union is demanding a five per cent pay increase, but the airline, which is struggling to cut costs after posting a first-half loss of 935 million Hong Kong dollars (US$120.5 million), has offered 2 per cent and a 13th-month bonus.

Limited service could also include withholding smiles and greetings from passengers.

"We cannot smile, because of the situation, because of how the company treats us," Tsang said.

The union is also considering working to rule, which involves doing no more than the minimum work required in contracts and precisely following safety regulations. Such tactics could include strictly enforcing size limits on hand luggage or waiting for all cleaning staff to leave the plane before boarding. The measures could delay flights by 20 to 30 minutes, Tsang said.

Some 1,600 of the union's nearly 6,000 members voted on Monday for industrial action after negotiations with the airline broke down.

The union is also considering a strike as a last resort, but not until the new year.