As part of the Cathay Group’s 80th anniversary celebrations, the airline has been busy in the background painting an Airbus A350 into classic colours.
Cathay Pacific retro Airbus A350-900 – Image, Cathay Pacific.
The aircraft is an Airbus A350-900 (registered as B-LRJ). Adorned with the airline’s iconic “lettuce leaf sandwich” design as well as the 80th anniversary year mark, the livery pays homage to the much-loved green-and-white striped paint scheme, echoing Cathay’s storied legacy while symbolising its continued growth and progress.
It was unveiled at Hong Kong International Airport, with senior leadership greeting the aircraft, before heading off to San Francisco as its first destination in the livery.
Cathay officially kicked off its “80 Years Together” anniversary celebrations at a special event, hosted by Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam (fifth from right), Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau (fifth from left), Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer Alex McGowan (fourth from left), and Chief Financial Officer Rebecca Sharpe (fourth from right).
A second “lettuce leaf sandwich” livery on one of Cathay’s Boeing 747 freighters will also be revealed in the coming weeks.
Two lettice leaves in the air – Rendering, Cathay Pacific.
Cabin crew donning Cathay Pacific’s vintage uniforms through various design eras also made a special appearance, paying tribute to the generations of people who have defined the signature Cathay service in the skies.
Throughout 2026, around 1,000 to 2,000 of Cathay’s cabin crew and ground employees will wear and showcase these vintage uniforms at work.
For those who want collectables, the airline is promoting a curated collection of merchandise inspired by the special liveries and iconic designs from different eras in Cathay’s storied history.
In Quotes
Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam said:
“Today marks not just an important milestone for Cathay, but a celebration of our ‘80 Years Together’ with Hong Kong. Guided by our purpose to move people forward in life, Cathay and Hong Kong have grown together over the past eight decades, supporting each other through thick and thin. From Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok, whether it’s studying abroad, conducting business, exploring the world, reuniting with family, or delivering vital supplies at critical moments, Cathay has always stood with the people of Hong Kong through countless shared journeys and memories.
“Looking ahead, through our investment of well over HK$100 billion into our fleet, cabin products, lounges and digital innovation, Cathay will continue to elevate the customer experience as we strive towards our refreshed vision to become our customers’ most loved service brand. At the same time, we remain steadfast in our commitment to strengthening Hong Kong’s status as a leading international aviation hub.
“With the continued support and encouragement of our people, customers and partners, I am confident that Cathay, as an iconic Hong Kong brand, will soar to even greater heights in the years to come.”
Drawing on history
There have been pictures of this aircraft floating around since it emerged from the paint shop last week, so it’s good to see this aircraft back in service and servicing Cathay’s customers, as it flies the colours of people’s childhoods, which flew between June 1971 and November 1994. At this point, the current “Brushwing” livery was introduced, with it refreshed in 2015.
As the airline drives forward to the future, it is good to see them look to the past that helped build the Cathay Group today, as well as how they plan to go forward in the future.
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