As per the memo, obtained by the South China Morning Post, the Hong Kong Airport Authority lodged a complaint with the airline, stating that the slow-moving pilots were causing delays and congestion at the bustling airport. "The Airport Authority informed us that their data indicated some Cathay Pacific aircraft were taxiing at a considerably slower speed compared to other operators, impacting both arrival and departure operations," the memo stated.
In the memo, the airline instructed pilots to taxi at speeds of 15-20 knots in most areas and up to 30 knots when possible. The memo further stated that the airline will be closely monitoring taxiway activities, and if they identify a pilot taxiing slowly, "we will follow up with the relevant commander and then take any further action that may be required."
The pilot's union has vaguely attributed the slow taxiing to "low morale," rejecting the circulating notion that pilots are extending their taxiing time to increase their paychecks, now that they're compensated based on the actual time spent on a trip rather than the projected flight duration. Cathay pilots endured almost continuous quarantine during two years of the pandemic and accepted pay cuts to support the financially struggling carrier when the quarantine ended.
