Hong Kong  - Pilots and flight attendants with leading Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific said Thursday they would fight anticipated "illegal" moves to make them take unpaid leave.

The airline, which with its subsidiaries has more than 2,000 employees, is reported to prepare a mandatory unpaid leave scheme after recording its first losses in 10 years.

Top executives as well as all pilots and flight attendants will be asked to take up to four weeks' unpaid leave, according to widespread reports which Cathay Pacific has refused to confirm or deny.

Unions representing pilots were due to meet with management Thursday and said they would express strong opposition to the anticipated cost-cutting move which is expected to be made public on Friday.

Both pilots and cabin crew unions said they have already been asked to help cut costs and to consider asking members to take more unpaid leave, but said mandatory leave had never been discussed.

John Findlay, general secretary of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association which has been invited to meet airline executives Thursday, said he was "very concerned" at the reports.

"Such an action would be a breach of contract and unlawful," he said. "Staff cannot be forced to take unpaid leave without their consent."

The union had already begun talks with Cathay Pacific management about the company's financial situation, Findlay said.

"The consultation process only began last week and is continuing. It would be considered an act of extremely bad faith and a breach of trust were we to be faced with such action by the company before the consultation process is finished," he said.

Becky Kwan, chairwoman of the Flight Attendants Union, said: "The company is asking for our help which is understandable. However, we want to make sure they are not just crying poor.

"The situation we are going through is a temporary problem and we should look for a temporary solution, and not reduce our permanent contract terms."

More than 1,000 flight attendants had taken voluntary unpaid leave earlier this year to help save the company money, Kwan pointed out.

A spokeswoman for Cathay Pacific said: "We cannot comment on speculative reports. We have made it clear that if the company makes any decisions affecting staff, our employees will be the first to be informed."

Cathay Pacific last month announced a record 1.1-billion-US-dollar loss in 2008, with some heavy losses incurred by hedges on fuel prices. The airline made a profit of 900,000 US dollars in 2007. (dpa)