Work Well Done - Cathay Pacific

DRAGON
A magazine for staff and friends of Dragonair
MAR-APR 2013
JUN/JUL
2016
ISSUE 152
170
Work Well Done
Recognising the staff who make Dragonair and
Cathay Pacific great airlines!
Overcoming Operational Challenges
Ground Time Optimisation Project rolled out to selected outports
Management Movements
New senior-level appointments in Dragonair
Tee Time
Kota Kinabalu District Sales Manager Jimmy Liew extols his
love of golf – perfect for relaxing and networking!
01
Message from CEO
Dragonews Issue 170
Message
from
CEO
The aviation business is undoubtedly
facing challenging times as a result
of global economic uncertainty and
strong competition within the industry.
At the Cathay Pacific Group, revenues
are coming under greater pressure,
and so we have introduced measures
to curb spending, including a freeze
on new hires and the curtailing
of non-essential expenditure. However,
despite the difficult operating
environment, we must always keep
our eye on the goal of providing our
customers with the high quality
of service they expect of us. I know
the Group can rely on the Dragonair
team to perform with professionalism
and diligence, even in the most trying
of situations.
Recently, we have run a number
of events relating to the quality of
service we provide. These include the
Service Leadership Forums, which
seek to enhance the skills of senior
frontline staff through discussions and
sharing sessions. Dragonair is for the
first time co-hosting the forums, which
are this year based on the theme
of improving our airlines’ on-time
performance. A big hand to the team
behind these forums – good job!
Another important initiative is the
newly launched Work Well Done
campaign. Every day, across our
network, people are going above and
beyond expectations, yet outside of
their immediate colleagues the rest of
us rarely get to hear about the great
work they do. We have been running
recognition events such as the Betsy
Awards, which focus on frontline staff,
but the beauty of Work Well Done is
that staff from the back office can be
applauded, too. I am enjoying reading
the stories posted on the Recognition
Wall relating to Dragonair –
congratulations to all colleagues
whose dedication and initiative have
been lauded.
In other good news, the Cathay Dragon
rebranding continues apace, with the
first of the new livery aircraft in service
and the second, B-HSO, about
to return to flying after re-painting.
For Cathay Pacific, the arrival of its
first A350 aircraft has caused a great
deal of excitement – some Dragonair
colleagues were lucky enough to be
chosen to travel on the delivery flight
from Toulouse, France, or to attend
the VIP event in Hong Kong. What
a wonderful way to celebrate the
first new aircraft type for Cathay
in 20 years!
As you may already know, I am taking
a leave of absence from July. I’d like
to take this opportunity to thank
everyone for your comradeship over
the past two years, and I’m sure you
will give James Tong, who takes over
as acting CEO, the same support that
I have enjoyed.
Algernon Yau
CEO
Performance Index
Traffic/capacity (KA + CX)
On-time performance
May 2016
Vs May 2015
2,862,680
-1.3%
84.0%
-1.9pt
12,118,716
0.5%
Freight carried (tonnes)
145,102
-1.3%
Cargo load factor
62.2%
0.1pt
2,491,252
-2.4%
Passengers carried
Passenger load factor
Available seat km (ASKs) (‘000)
Available tonne km (ATKs) (‘000)
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Produced by the People Communication Division. We welcome staff feedback and news for Dragonews.
Email: [email protected]
MAR-16
APR-16
MAY-16
70.8%
65.0% within 15 mins 64.5%
34.2%
36.5%
on-the-dot
42.3%
News
GTO Extended to Outports
The Ground Time Optimisation (GTO) Project is being rolled out to selected pilot ports,
while Dragonair gets ready for a full cutover to the Precision Time Schedule
Phase 2 of the Ground Time Optimisation (GTO) Project
kicked off on 6 June at Taipei airport, extending the best
practices adopted at HKIA to four pilot outports. Taipei
was an obvious choice, given that it operates multiple fleet
types from both Cathay Pacific and Dragonair, regularly
handles flight diversions and has a high flight frequency.
The other Dragonair outport involved is Shanghai Pudong,
which will complete its GTO process review by the end
of this year.
As part of Phase 1, the revised Precision Time Schedule
(PTS) for the Dragonair A330 fleet was implemented at
HKIA earlier this year. A complete cutover to the new PTS
is expected by August when the Dragonair A320/1 fleet
is implemented.
“Increasing the operational efficiency and on-time
performance (OTP) of flights departing from outports
will complement the gradually improving departure OTP
from HKIA, benefiting our hub connectivity as well as the
overall schedule integrity,” says General Manager Airports
Vivian Lo.
“Ultimately, by improving schedule integrity and OTP,
it adds value to our staff and passengers, enabling us to
fulfil the promise of Life Well Travelled in every journey,”
adds Liza Ng, General Manager HKIA.
“It also provides a unique opportunity to review the
standard practice in our management of third-party
suppliers such as caterers, baggage handlers and refuelling
agents across the airlines’ networks.”
Information gathered will be consolidated into guidelines
for all other outports to adopt and conduct their turnaround
process study, set be completed by the end of 2017.
The Airport team and Lean team are joined by the senior
management at the wrap-up meeting, celebrating a
successful roll-out of the OTP project in Taipei.
Recruitment and training for the newly established role
of Turnaround Coordinator (TCO) is going well and all
turnarounds will be managed by this dedicated team
by the end of July.
In other developments, GTO initiatives were explained
in detail at the Service Leadership Forum 2016 involving
frontline service leaders from inflight, airports worldwide
and the new TCOs. “This provided an excellent opportunity
for clarifying queries from frontline teams, while collecting
valuable feedback for continuous improvement
of the processes,” says Liza.
The Taipei team, including Airport
Services Manager Arthur Jih, is
actively engaging in a GTO workshop.
02
03
Cover Story
Dragonews Issue 170
Thumbs Up for
Work Well Done!
Work Well Done makes it easy for people
to recognise colleagues’ extraordinary efforts
Work Well Done has been up and running for a few weeks
now and hundreds of Cathay Pacific and Dragonair staff
have already taken the opportunity to praise the
extraordinary efforts of colleagues on the Recognition
Wall. To date, more than 1,000 recognition comments
have been posted.
Director People Tom Owen explains the concept behind the
campaign: “Every day, across the network, amazing stories
are created by our people. Yet we don’t often get to hear
about it. It’s time now to recognise all the people who make
this airline great,” he says.
“Work Well Done makes it easy for staff to recognise the
excellent work of their colleagues, by posting messages on
the Recognition Wall that can be seen by everyone in both
Dragonair and Cathay Pacific.”
Carly Nankin, Head of Internal Communications
& Engagement, says she is pleased to see the response
from Dragonair staff.
Cupcakes, coffee and smiles at KA house.
“This was well received and there were plenty of smiles
around – people appreciated management taking the time
to serve them coffee and cupcakes personally, just to say
thank you,” says Carly.
“What makes this programme special is that it’s more than
just handing out awards,” says Tom. “Our vision is to foster
a thriving culture of recognition where everybody across the
airlines, both frontline and back-office people, have a chance
to recognise others, and to be recognised,” notes Tom.
“Now, every person, in every department, in every country,
can celebrate the contributions of their colleagues in a new
and interesting way.”
Recognising your colleague take no more than two minutes
– show the world how wonderful your colleagues are
by writing your appreciation on the Recognition Wall
at www.cathaypacific.com/workwelldone.
“There are already a good number of posts relating
to Dragonair staff and teams on the wall, including stories
from ISD and FOP,” she says.
Work Well Done was launched with a coffee event
at Dragonair House on 12 May, with senior managers –
including Finance Director Martin Murray, General Manager
Inflight Services Brian Yuen, General Manager Aircrew
& Ground Services Mike Kitney and Head of Cabin Crew
Michelle Cheng – thanking staff while serving them with
tasty goodies.
Examples from the Recognition Wall
To Grace Mok:
Inflight Services (KA-ISD)
Hong Kong (HKG)
puter
especially to learn the new com
Grace is open and a fast learner,
t
bes
very
her
s
and always doe
system. She is dedicated, reliable
s data for daily and ad hoc analysis
draw
She
.
line
time
set
to meet the
strategy management plan.
team
efficiently that is essential for the
king attitude, Grace. Well Done!
Appreciate your “CAN DO” wor
From your fan Sabrina Chum
3rd May 2016
To Cargo Team:
Cargo (CGO)
Dhaka (DAC)
An awesome team to work with. Alwa
ys innovating way
forward in the most challenging work
environment. I love
your “Never Give Up” attitude. You
are all — STARS.
From your fan Morshed Amin
10th May 2016
News
New Management Appointments
Managerial changes at director level have been announced. Arnold Cheng has
taken up the position of Director Corporate Affairs since 11 July; he was formerly
General Manager Sales, PRD & Hong Kong. He takes over from James Tong, who
has assumed the position of Acting Chief Executive Officer at Dragonair, while
Algernon Yau is taking leave of absence. Anna Cheung will be the new General
Manager Inflight Services, taking over from Brian Yuen in August.
A number of changes have been made for key managerial positions
in Dragonair outports. Appointments include:
Port
Name & Title
TYO
ionel Kwok, General Manager Japan;
L
Samantha Ngai, Assistant to General Manager Japan
BJS
Justin Yu, Passenger Sales Manager, China;
Nicholas Fei, Assistant to General Manager China
CGO
Stanley Lee, Manager – Zhengzhou
CKG
Matthew Choi, Manager – Chongqing
HGH
Mickey Yip, Manager – Hangzhou
SHA
Kenneth Tsui, Manager Cargo China
XMN
Preston Hung, Manager – Southern China
DAC
Nick Bury, Country Manager Bangladesh & Bhutan
KTM
Keri Lui, Country Manager Nepal
BKI
Ashley Yang, Manager Sabah, Sarawak & Brunei
PNH
Joshua Williams, Country Manager Cambodia
SEL
James Conlin, Country Manager Korea
TPE
Chen Luo, Assistant to General Manager Taiwan & Korea
Welcome Inflight Service
Manager – New Title for
Dragonair Chief Purser
In line with the rebranding of Dragonair as Cathay Dragon,
Dragonair Chief Pursers (CP) will carry the new title of
Inflight Service Manager (ISM). The new title reflects more
accurately the high level of accountability and responsibility
of our CPs when in charge of wide-body aircraft.
The exact date when the new title will come into use will
be announced in due course, and is expected to align with
the cutover to the new Cathay Dragon brand. Collaterals
including business cards and name badges will be changed
progressively, and updating of manuals and systems
will also follow.
Head of Cabin Crew Michelle Cheng remarks that the
Chief Purser title goes back to 1990 when Dragonair
wet-leased a TriStar L-1011 from Cathay Pacific
and flew on the Beijing and Shanghai routes.
“We believe the new title helps reflect the
changing role of senior cabin crew in today’s
aviation industry – our CPs do a truly great
job, for which we thank them,” Michelle says,
adding that the roles and responsibilities,
uniform and details of Conditions of Service
will remain unchanged.
Arnold
Cheng
James
Tong
Algernon
Yau
04
05
News
Dragonews Issue 170
High-flying Flavours
To meet travellers’ desires for fresh culinary adventures,
a collaboration has been forged with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts
to provide a series of exciting Chinese and Western menus
Dragonair passengers are in for a culinary treat with the news that the airline
is for the first time collaborating with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. Six of the group’s
regionally acclaimed restaurants from four hotels in Hong Kong, Shanghai and
Beijing are offering a range of Chinese and Western dishes including local
flavours, international favourites and signature dishes.
The menus have been designed in collaboration with chefs at the respective
restaurants, incorporating their individual styles and philosophies.
The new menus are being gradually rolled out from now until mid-2017, according
to the season, on flights from Hong Kong to specific regional destinations as well
as from Beijing and Shanghai to Hong Kong. An Italian menu from Grissini, Grand
Hyatt Hong Kong and authentic Chinese fare from The Chinese Restaurant, Hyatt
Regency Hong Kong launched the collaboration on 1 June.
Previously, Dragonair worked with
Hugo’s at the Hyatt Regency Hong
Kong for two years. “Very positive
comments were received from our
passengers. Therefore we are pleased
to now extend our association with The
Chinese Restaurant and to continue
the excellent dining experience for
our passengers,” says Inflight Catering
Manager Kim Chong.
G16 Lounge Upgrade
New look will align with Group’s brand design ethos
The G16 lounge at Hong Kong International Airport closed its doors in early July for
renovation – and when it opens next year it will be larger, have a totally new look, and
boast a suite of showers.
The lounge has been in operation for more than 10 years, so it was time for an upgrade
in order to to align it with the Group’s brand design ethos and enable valued customers
to enjoy a better experience before their flight. The existing 756 square metres of space
will be enlarged to 811sqm and will feature the relaxed ambience of other newly
refurbished lounges in the Dragonair and Cathay Pacific network. The design will be
carried out by Studioilse, the London-based design studio led by Ilse Crawford. The
inclusion of showers in the new design is sure to be well received by travellers.
Set to open in the second quarter of 2017, the
new lounge will serve Dragonair and Cathay
Pacific passengers, Marco Polo Club members
and other eligible oneworld passengers. During
the renovation, Dragonair passengers can use
Cathay Pacific lounges at HKIA.
News
Rebranding
rolls on
B-HSO was the first A320 in the Dragonair fleet –
and now it’s become the second aircraft to receive
the new Cathay Dragon livery. The repainting
of the A320 was completed at the end of June,
and the aircraft has undergone a cabin retrofit
modification.
The repaint process went smoothly, and the aircraft
will re-enter service in July. A total of seven more
Dragonair aircraft are to be repainted at Xiamen
between now and the end of the year, including
three A320s and four A330s.
Staff offer
insights on
dining
experience
In May, a total of 460 people completed a survey regarding the quality and value
for money of the food offerings at the canteen in Dragonair House, as well
as offering thoughts on the overall dining environment.
The People Department, which undertook the study, thanks everyone who took
part for their valuable input. The exercise has provided the team with a wealth
of information that will enable them to document staff’s needs.
Updates will follow as the initiative progresses.
06
07
Around the Network
Dragonews Issue 170
BKI
Broadening Kids’ Horizons
A total of 20 underprivileged students from
rural Sabah were welcomed by the BKI team at
Kota Kinabalu International Airport for the I
Can Fly educational visit in early May. For
many it was their first visit to the airport, where
they received an introduction to Dragonair and
the aviation business, experienced a mock
check-in at the Dragonair check-in counter,
a customs and immigration check, and a short
tour of the airport, including briefings at the
boarding gate and airport lounge. It wasn’t all
work: games and quizzes showcased the
importance of teamwork and communication
skills, followed by a catered inflight meal. The
children, from San Damiano Hostel, Kiulu,
performed a thank-you song to convey their
gratitude for the visit, which helped to broaden
their horizons.
DAC
Food Fiestas
Everybody’s camera phones
were clicking away as the
Cathay Pacific/Dragonair team
in Dhaka organised an in-house
food festival in May. The
summer food fiesta saw team
members bring in an array of
colourful seasonal fruits and
foodstuffs. Food was also the focus of the festival held at the Westin
Dhaka in April to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Monkey. The
Great Taste of China featured three chefs from Chengdu and Beijing,
with their tickets sponsored by Dragonair. Guests thoroughly
enjoyed the exotic Sichuan and Cantonese cuisines.
Helping Hands
The Dhaka sales team was delighted to participate in the Dhaka
Street Children’s Party organised by the Dhaka International
Women’s Association at Nandan Water Park in March. Around
420 children from underprivileged backgrounds enjoyed an
unforgettable day of fun. Dragonair sponsored stationery items
in support of the kids’ educational needs. The team spent the
whole day with the children, and a fun time was had by all.
CKG
Bowling to Success
After a very competitive bowling match,
the Chongqing team gathered for a welldeserved hotpot dinner. Cargo Services
Officer Kent Duan, Airport Services
Manager Sky Yu and Cargo Services Officer
Johnson Li were named the winners.
Around the Network
BLR
Plenty to Recognise
It’s been a busy time at Bengaluru
lately, most notably with BLR being
named “Best Baggage Handling”
and “Best OTP Airport” at the
Airports conference held recently
in Hong Kong. The Bengaluru Airport
team attended a fruitful briefing on
the Safety Management System from
Captains Marc Holm and Jonathan
Rebbeck in March. Elsewhere, the
fantastic work of team members
Shanmugapriya and Annie Caroline
was recognised as they received
“Debut Performer” mementos. Also
recognised was the performance
of Shafeeq, who grabbed the “Star
of the Month” award.
What’s on
What are people posting on
Yammer? Great shots of exciting
places are always popular!
Flight Purser Jon Rui Tsai was
mesmerised by the beautiful coastal
city of Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka
and set on the Indian Ocean.
XIY
Hot Destination
A media delegation from Hong Kong, led by CEO Algernon Yau, visited
Xi’an in April, where they met local government officials and visited Xi’an
International Trade & Logistics Park. The editors were impressed by the
latest developments in the city and enjoyed seeing both the historic and
modern aspects. Dragonair currently operates daily flights to Xi’an; from
summer 2016, four flights a week will be upgraded to an A330 based on
increasing demand for both cargo and passenger services.
08
Safety Training Specialist 2 Paul
Rimmer says this shot will “probably
only be of interest to any Formula 1
petrol heads out there”. It was taken
at the Shanghai Grand Prix.
Systems Analyst Raunak Kothari
enthuses about Koh Samui: “The
place to go for amazing sunsets,
seascapes, superb food and great
hospitality. Definitely going on my
list of places to revisit!”
09
Cathay News
Dragonews Issue 170
A New Star
in the Sky
There is nothing quite like the delivery
of a new aircraft type to build a buzz
around an airline – and Cathay Pacific’s
newest addition to its aircraft fleet seems
to be causing more excitement than usual.
A group of staff winners
visited the Airbus factory in
Toulouse before taking home
Cathay’s first A350 aircraft.
B-LRA is greeted by many
enthusiastic colleagues
at a special hangar event
organised for staff.
More than 1,300 Cathay and Dragonair staff, including those
from outports, were thrilled to enjoy a close-up encounter
with Cathay’s first A350-900XWB at an event held at the
HAECO hangars at Hong Kong International Airport on
15 June. Guests ignored the heat and humidity of the day
to take plenty of photos – including the obligatory selfies,
of course. They got the opportunity to learn about the
technical features from A350 experts from Rolls-Royce,
Airbus and Cathay. The cabin visit was extremely popular,
with everyone eager to try the seats and IFE system,
and check out the revolutionary head-up display
in the flight deck.
Big thanks go to all the volunteers who helped make this
event a great success, especially given the short time they
had to organise things, while the aircraft took a quick break
from revenue service!
B-LRA had arrived in Hong Kong two weeks earlier on 29
May. It had taken off from Toulouse, France, the day before,
with an operating crew headed up by Captain Peter Lees
and Inflight Service Manager Margot Lee. This was the
culmination of a very busy few days for the delivery team
of around 30, drawn from Engineering, Flight Operations,
Information Technology and Inflight Services.
Engineering Director Christopher Gibbs was among those
on board the flight to Hong Kong, and praised the
dedication and commitment of all those engaged in the
project. Also enjoying flight CPA3350 were winners of
a staff competition, who visited the Airbus factory, toured
the historic city centre, and attended the pre-delivery dinner
before getting on the delivery flight. B-LRA was welcomed
into HKIA by Chief Operating Officer Rupert Hogg and other
senior management.
B-LRA entered service on 1 June, operating CX907
to Manila, where it was received enthusiastically by outport
staff. This new extra-wide-bodied aircraft, with its “green”
credentials, its already famous wingtips and spacious
interior, certainly seems to be capturing everyone’s
attention and imagination.
Up Close & Personal
Staff from across the
network, including
Dragonair and outports,
took part in competitions,
with the opportunity
to win a trip to Toulouse
for the delivery flight, and
to attend the VIP party
at HKIA. Two of them
talk here about
their experiences.
Jacky Lam, Training Specialist
– Admin & Project, was one of
15 lucky staff who won a place
on the A350 delivery trip.
“Looking out of the window,
I witnessed the new stylish
wing for the first time as we
departed Toulouse. It was such
a touching moment when the
aircraft landed at Hong Kong
International Airport. What a
once-in-a-lifetime experience this
trip was, filled with lots of joy!
“My sincere thanks to all who
helped make my journey
a memorable one!”
Carlton So, Cabin Crew
Training Specialist, was
among the winners to join
the A350 VIP event in the
HAECO hangars.
“As an aircraft lover, having
a new aircraft type joining
the Cathay fleet is exciting
news. I am so grateful
to have had the chance to
participate in this VIP event.
“The aircraft looks gorgeous, and I like the
winglets the most. I am sure the Wi-Fi service
available inflight will be a great travel experience
for passengers, enabling Life Well Travelled!”
Cathay News
Welcome,
Madrid!
Cathay Pacific celebrated the commencement of flights
to Madrid on 2 June. Any new route takes a lot of planning,
but when it is the first time for a new country to become
part of the network there is additional pressure on the
planning process – as was the case here.
Once all team members were in place, four weeks
of intensive training was delivered online, in the classroom
and on-the-job by the Airports team, with an emphasis
on Service Straight from the Heart, operational procedures
and customer engagement.
For Madrid, the team began to take shape in May 2015.
Everything was done from scratch, starting with the
recruitment of 17 team members, and the assessment
of potential suppliers, including ground handling agents,
lounge services, cargo services and catering could begin.
The Cathay Pacific brand is relatively less well known
among Spanish consumers, so the Sales & Marketing team
needed to get the word out that Cathay Pacific is the best
option to Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Since Madrid airport is particularly large, the operations
team has had to take into account the long distance
between check-in desks and boarding gates, by closing
flights 20 minutes earlier than other airports.
In advance of the launch, adverts were placed on websites,
magazines, buses and at the airport. The sales team has
been focusing on premium business contracts while also
forging relationships with travel agents.
Lounge Updates
Work continues apace on the upgrade
of Cathay Pacific lounges, with the
Business Class Lounge of The Pier
at HKIA and the lounge at Vancouver
recently reopening their doors, while
anticipation is building for the
unveiling of the new London space.
The new lounge look reflects the
Cathay Pacific brand experience,
spiced up with local touches, and
is geared to providing travellers
with a warm, relaxing and
enjoyable environment.
The Business Class Lounge at The Pier
is undoubtedly the airline’s flagship
lounge, and has undergone an
extensive redesign. With more than
3,000sqm of space, it is the largest
in the network, and can accommodate
up to 500 travellers. The new concept
has a distinct Hong Kong identity,
including works by local artists. The
signature Noodle Bar is sure to be one
of the main attractions, while a new
feature is The Teahouse, a quiet space
offering a selection of specialist teas
and even a resident tea master. The
new lounge opened in late June.
The revamped First and Business Class
lounge in Vancouver reopened in early
May. It offers a stunning view of the
Vancouver coastal mountains and
features artwork that reflects the
culture of British Columbia. Located
in the International Terminal, the
lounge has room for 108 people; food
and drink options include the famous
Noodle Bar and The Pantry.
The new look for the London lounge
will be revealed in August. It is being
designed by Studioilse, the UK
design house behind the other
revamps, including Manila,
Bangkok and Haneda.
10
11
KA People
Dragonews Issue 170
Dragonair Shuttlers Star in Taipei
Several Dragonair players were among the joint Dragonair/Cathay
Pacific Catering Services (KA/CPCS-HKG) badminton team invited to play
in a friendly competition in Taipei in mid-April. Kevin Ng, Philip Li and
Elene Cheng from OPS, and KW Wong and Liza Tang from ISD were part
of the team.
The event was hosted by China Pacific Catering Services Ltd (CPCS-TPE),
and consisted of men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles,
with nine matches played under a 31-point scoring system. Both teams
put in a great effort, with the CPCS-TPE team finally edging a win by 5-4.
The Dragonair team wishes to extend its wholehearted thanks to
CPCS-TPE for organising this enjoyable event. They also invite Dragonair
staffers interested in playing badminton to be a part of this great team!
Paddling to Glory
With about 60 people participating
in the Dragonair/Cathay Pacific dragon
boat teams this year, the airlines were
able to field teams races in five
locations across Hong Kong.
Our teams picked up a number
of trophies, including mixed bowl
champions at the Lamma 500
International races, the Deep Water
Bay Regatta and Tsuen Wan races,
along with second runner-up in the
mixed section of the Sai Kung event
and first runner-up in the dry-land
dragon boat challenge at the Hong
Kong International Dragon
Boat Races.
“Despite frequent bad weather
disrupting training this season, the
team performance was good,” says
Team Organiser Chin Pang-wu.
“We’ve had many new joiners this
year, and they are having a lot of fun
participating in this sport and are
keen to learn and improve.
We hope the team will
continue to grow
and get more
good results.”
STAFF
Movements
FLIGHT PURSER PROMOTION PFP 01_16
PROMOTION
From First Officer to Captain
Robert Macdonald
From Junior First Officer to First Officer
Jordan Chan
FLIGHT PURSER PROMOTION PFP 02_16
KA People
12
View from the Green
Jimmy Liew feels blessed to live in a golfing paradise –
but enjoys visiting other courses in the Dragonair network
in Southeast Asia, and has his eye on a trip to Kunming.
Like many at Dragonair, Jimmy Liew,
District Sales Manager – BKI, enjoys
a game of golf. Kota Kinabalu is
described by Trip Advisor as a “golfer’s
paradise”, and Jimmy certainly feels
lucky to be able to play regularly in this
beautiful part of the world that’s
blessed with good courses.
Jimmy caught the golf bug in 2000.
“I have been quite active in sports
since my school days, such as
badminton – which I’m still playing
today. Golf is getting popular among
people working at Kota Kinabalu
airport, and a few of my colleagues,
including some cargo agents, decided
to take it up, and I joined them.”
He enjoys golf for a number of reasons;
he believes it is healthy not just for the
body but for the mind, too. “You are
always playing against yourself; every
shot in every game is different and the
ball lands somewhere different each
time you hit it, hence some shots can
be very tricky. No two games are
exactly the same,” he says. “It is
definitely a fantastic getaway after five
days of office work, with the whole golf
course being like a huge playground.
And it certainly is a great way to meet
people from different industries and
walks of life. It helps me promote
Dragonair and Cathay Pacific, too –
especially when my playing partners
talk about upcoming trips or travel.”
Although he mostly plays in Sabah and
the neighbouring Malaysian state of
Sarawak, where he reckons he’s played
most of the major courses, Jimmy has
also visited courses in Penang, Ipoh,
Melaka and Kuala Lumpur. Outside
of Malaysia, he’s played at clubs in
Thailand and Singapore a few times.
“One of my best memories is playing
in a pro-am tournament with one of
Malaysia’s top golfers, Danny Chia,”
says Jimmy. “As far as my biggest
achievement in golfing so far, I believe
it would be when I played a few
inter-club tournaments, representing
my home club – The Sabah Golf and
Country Club. The club is Sabah’s
oldest 18-hole golf course, opened
in 1976; this challenging par 72,
6,335-metre championship course was
designed by Robert Muir Graves and
is acknowledged as one of Southeast
Asia’s toughest courses.”
On the list of places Jimmy would like
to visit as a golfer is Kunming. “It has
some of the best golf courses in China
Stylish City on the Sea
The Hyatt Regency Qingdao is located on the city’s famous beach,
as well as being close by the new business, commercial and
entertainment district, too. Along with the beach, Qingdao is also
acclaimed for its temperate climate, parks, sculptures and unique
German architecture.
The hotel blends modern and traditional Chinese decor, and offers
a choice of five stylish restaurants and bars serving a range of
different cuisines, and all with ocean views. Leisure facilities include
a state-of-the-art fitness centre, indoor heated pool, and spa. The
Regency Club rooms allow access to the
Regency Club Lounge on the 21st floor
with a spectacular sea view from the
rooftop terraces.
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and offers spectacular scenery,”
he notes. “One of the golf courses
there which I’d like to try is Jade
Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club,
in the bottom of a valley that offers
amazing mountain views from
every angle.”
Does Jimmy have any advice for
aspiring golfers? “Be patient – Rome
was not built in a day,” he laughs,
adding that he’s happy to meet up with
fellow Dragonair golfers when they
visit Kota Kinabalu.
Know Your Airline!
1.
What did the senior management offer staff in recognition
of their hard work at a recent Work Well Done campaign?
2.
What is the registration of the second Dragonair aircraft
to be repainted with the new Cathay Dragon livery?
3.
What will be the new size of the revamped G16 Lounge
at HKIA?
4.
Who is the new General Manager Inflight Services?
Email [email protected] with
the correct answers before 8 August
2016 and you get the chance to win
this wonderful prize! All answers
ns to
can be found in this issue of
tulatio
hiu,
ongra
C
dra C
Dragonews. Open to staff with
er San
s
r
u
last
P
Dragonair email accounts only.
in the
Chief
e quiz ews!
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