Laid-off pilot still in driving seat - on the buses

A veteran pilot formerly with the now-axed Cathay Dragon has managed to switch careers by becoming a bus driver while most of the airline's ex-employees are still struggling to find jobs.

Earnest Li, who had worked for Cathay Dragon for almost 19 years, created a social media buzz after his Facebook video went viral.

The video, uploaded last Wednesday, began with footage of Li inside the cockpit, and then shifted to him driving a Kowloon Motor Bus, alongside photos of his wife and sons visiting him at work in both scenarios.

"I'm very grateful for the splendid life journey that Cathay Dragon gave me," he wrote. "Honestly, my colleagues who entered the company during the same period as I did were the lucky ones.

"Now the biggest problem is I'm not ready to retire this early."

Cathay Pacific axed its Dragon brand in October as part of its restructuring effort to survive the Covid-19 pandemic.

All Dragon employees, alongside some Cathay Pacific staffers, amounting to 5,300 people in Hong Kong, lost their jobs. The company has said it might hire back some pilots and flight attendants next year.

Li said he decided to share his experience of becoming a bus driver after seeing that some young ex-colleagues were still traumatized by the layoffs. "I just hope these youngsters can face reality and move on."

The former pilot was praised by netizens for being positive and flexible when facing the pandemic. But he refused to be interviewed by the media, as he did not find his case to be particular encouraging.

"I'm a former Airbus captain who switched to a double-decker bus captain, how can I encourage young people in Hong Kong?" Li said. "Today everyone is at rock bottom in life, but it's not our fault. We are still the best pilots!"

The basic salary of full-time KMB drivers is now HK$17,400 a month, whereas top-level captains at Cathay used to receive up to HK$175,000 monthly before they were asked to take massive pay cuts.

Rebecca Sy On-na, former chairwoman of Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Flight Attendants' Association, said she knew Li from his wife, who used to be a stewardess at the airline too. "With two sons to raise, Li is a very practical person," Sy said, adding he started trying to obtain different licenses, including one for electrical worker even before Dragon's closure.

But she said most former employees of Dragon still find it hard to change careers.

"For those with years of experience in the aviation sector, it's really difficult for them to start over. Some just can't accept the salary difference," said Sy, who herself began to work in the insurance sector this month.

She said some ex-Dragon staffers have to rely on their severance payments to pay bills, although some complained about not receiving it yet. "We didn't expect the company to be so heartless that it would delay giving 'break-up fees.'"

KMB said it respected Li's choice of not accepting media interviews.

mandy.zheng@singtaonewscorp.com