Cathay reinstates sacked pilot

HONG KONG, China -- Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has reinstated one of the 52 pilots it sacked at the start of their "go-slow" campaign, but said the move should not be seen as a sign its resolve is weakening.

The former captain was reinstated but demoted to first officer for missing a flight from the United States to Hong Kong, Cathay's director of corporate development, Tony Tyler, said on Hong Kong radio station RTHK on Friday.

He was one of two pilots allowed by Cathay to appeal their dismissal. The fate of the other has yet to be decided.

"On review of the appeal ... we were persuaded that the actions the person took were not deliberately intended to disrupt our operations, it was the result of negligence," Tyler said.

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But Tyler said the company would not consider giving the other 50 pilots their jobs back.

"The decision on these ... remains firm, they've left the company's employment and they won't be reinstated," Tyler said.

"Their contracts have been terminated in accordance with their conditions of service and as such there is nothing to appeal against. They don't have a right to appeal."

The South China Morning Post quoted Tyler as saying: "It would be a mistake for anyone to interpret this decision as a sign of any weakening in the company's position."

Work to rule

The pilots were sacked soon after the work-to-rule began on July 3, disrupting hundreds of flights, in a dispute over pay and rostering. The airline said it had lost confidence in them, without giving details, and said it was not linked to the labour row.

The pilots' union has repeatedly slammed the sackings as a "disgrace" and an "intimidation tactic" and has said that any new talks with management would have to include the issue of reinstatement.

John Findlay, general secretary of the pilots' union, said legal advice had been sought on the cases of the 50 pilots.

While the pilots insist the go-slow is still on, the airline has said operations were now nearly back to normal.

The union recently rejected a sweetened overtime offer aimed at ending the go-slow campaign.

Public anger at the pilots is growing, recent surveys by Hong Kong newspapers suggest.

Portrayed in the media as rich and spoilt, they are seen as wanting more at a time when many in Hong Kong are worried about keeping their jobs.

Some of Cathay's top pilots are among the highest paid in the world, with some senior captains on expatriate terms earning as much as U.S.$450,000 a year. But the pilots' union says most earn well below that level.

Cathay said this week the dispute had cost it some HK$350 million (US$48.9 million) in July, but added it did not expect to incur further losses from the row.

Reuters contributed to this report.