Cathay Pacific loses two long-running pay disagreements in one day
Three stewardesses and 18 former pilots win long-fought cases against the airline
Cathay Pacific Airways lost two long-running employment disputes in one day when the top court ruled largely in favour of three flight attendants and 18 former pilots.
Under the Employment Ordinance, Cathay must include certain allowances and commissions in addition to the basic salary when calculating its cabin crew's pay during statutory holidays and annual leave, the Court of Final Appeal ruled.
Those include commissions on duty-free sales, and allowances for line duty and ground duty, which attendants earn in the air and while waiting for flights.
The ruling, which quashed Cathay's challenge of an appeal court's judgment, carries broader implications for airlines over statutory holiday pay.
Outside court, retired in-flight services manager Becky Kwan Siu-wa called the outcome "very encouraging".
"I am very pleased that justice is finally done," Kwan said. "The judgment shows that employers must comply with the contract. This case will have effects on other airlines like the British Airways and Dragonair."
