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Cathay Pacific is to align the retirement age for all its current Hong Kong-based cabin crew to 55 with immediate effect. The new arrangements were agreed at a meeting on Tuesday between Cathay Pacific management and the airline’s Flight Attendants’ Union (FAU).

The alignment in retirement age will affect 5,000 Hong Kong-based cabin crew who joined after 1 July 1993, whose retirement age is 45. The retirement age for cabin crew who joined before 1 July 1993 is 55.

The change has been implemented following in-depth discussions with cabin crew working groups, including the FAU and the Cabin Crew Consultation Group. Under the new arrangement, all cabin crew who joined after 1993 will be able to choose to retire at any time between 45 and 55. All new joiners will retire at 55.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Tony Tyler said, “I am delighted that the company has taken the decision to align the retirement age of the Hong Kong-based cabin crew and I am pleased that the staff groups with whom we have consulted have welcomed this decision. In view of the difficulties facing the industry, the company's decision on alignment underlines the need for the company and our staff to pull together in the best interests of the airline and its continuing success.”

Cathay Pacific has undergone a significant expansion in recent years and operational requirements have changed in line with the airline’s growth. Fifteen years ago the carrier employed around 4,300 cabin crew but today the airline employs more than 7,500 cabin crew. The airline is continuing with its aggressive recruitment and plans to take on 1,500 more cabin crew in 2008.

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