Cathay cabin crews moving towards a strike

Unhappy flight attendants threaten unfriendly service during the holidays.

Cabin crews of Cathay Pacific Airways have voted in favor of industrial action that could result in sub-par passenger service and lead to a strike in the new year.

The Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union is demanding a 5% pay increase, which the airline refused. Instead, Cathay has offered a 2% and a 13th month bonus. It reported a first half loss of HK$120.5 million and is battling against rising costs.

Flight attendants threaten to withhold food, alcohol and even their smiles from passengers during the Christmas holidays. The union will soon announce when the action approved in the vote will be carried out.

Some 1,600 of the union's nearly 6,000 members voted 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.

"We may not provide alcoholic drinks to our passengers, or we may not even provide meals to passengers," in which case the union would advise travelers to bring their own food and drinks, said General Secretary Tsang Kwok-fung.

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