Cathay Pacific: Base in Hong Kong gets support from Chinese Mainland and global connectivity

Proactively recruiting talent from the Chinese Mainland to build an ever-more diverse and inclusive team

Cathay Pacific kicked off its latest recruitment event at the Qianhai International Talent Hub in Shenzhen today, as the airline leverages its strengths as a Hong Kong-based carrier, the support from the Chinese Mainland and its global connectivity to build an ever-more diverse and inclusive team.

The event represents a significant milestone for Cathay Pacific as it marks the first time the airline is recruiting cabin crew in the Chinese Mainland. With the increasing number of flights, business activities and frequent exchanges between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, as well as the growing number of Putonghua-speaking customers, Cathay Pacific believes this is the right time to launch this new recruitment initiative, reflecting the importance of the Chinese Mainland market.

Speaking at the event, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam said: “As we continue our journey since the pandemic of rebuilding Cathay better than before, we are committed to supporting the 14th Five-Year Plan and integrating into the national development. Cathay Pacific has been enhancing connectivity between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and the rest of the world by leveraging the advantages of its strategic base in Hong Kong together with the support received from the Chinese Mainland. We will continue to strengthen our presence in and attract talent from, the Chinese Mainland in response to the increasing number of Putonghua-speaking customers while building a diverse and inclusive Cathay family. The Cathay Group targets to recruit around 4,000 people in the Chinese Mainland by 2025.”

Cathay Pacific has launched its "2023 Chinese Mainland Talent Recruitment Plan" with the target of recruiting 200-300 cabin crew in the Chinese Mainland this year and 1,000-2,000 by 2025. Hiring activities in the Chinese Mainland will be an ongoing feature of Cathay Pacific’s recruitment in the future and the airline envisions that the Chinese Mainland will make up its largest cabin crew community outside of Hong Kong. Furthermore, the airline will provide even more job opportunities for talent from the Chinese Mainland in the form of cadet pilots, cabin crew, IT professionals, ground employees, and customer service officers, helping to nurture aviation talent to support the development of the industry.

Facilitating talent exchange, and promoting diversity and inclusion

Also attending the recruitment event, Director Service Delivery Mandy Ng said: "We will continue our recruitment in the Chinese Mainland, building a diverse and inclusive team, and providing excellent and caring service consistently to our customers. Through enhanced communication and collaboration between the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, we can further facilitate the flow of talent within the Greater Bay Area."

The six-day recruitment event takes place from 25 to 30 August 2023 at the Qianhai International Talent Hub in Shenzhen. Candidates who pass the initial assessments will attend an on-site interview. Successful candidates will then receive comprehensive induction training and be based in Hong Kong.

From October 2023, Cathay Pacific will operate over 160 return flights per week to 16 airports in 15 cities in the Chinese Mainland, connecting it and Hong Kong with the rest of the world. The airline is also committed to providing a wide range of intermodal services, including air, sea, and land options, to enable travelers from the Greater Bay Area to more seamlessly connect to the world via their Cathay Pacific flights.