No booze and no smiles, Cathay crew threatens
Cathay Pacific flight crews may stop serving alcohol and smiling at passengers after voting in favour of industrial action over a salary dispute.
The Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union has ruled out full strike action for now, but said the "work-to-rule" measures could disrupt flight schedules.
"We will be selective in providing our services," union general secretary Tsang Kwok-fung told AFP, adding that the form and date of the action approved in Monday’s vote is yet to be decided.
"This could include not smiling at passengers, not providing certain types of beverages – such as alcohol – or stop serving meals," he said.
"In a nutshell it means passengers will still be able to reach their destinations except they are paying a five-star price to get a three-star service," Tsang said.
The union action followed Cathay’s announcement last month that it was giving a two per cent pay rise to its employees in 2013, on top of a discretionary one month bonus for 2012, falling short of the union’s demand.
Ian Jarrett
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