Cathay Pacific turns 80: A350 takes off in celebratory livery. New lounges and cabins on the way

Just yesterday, January 6, 2026, Cathay Pacific officially kicked off its 80th anniversary celebration Taking off a very special aircraft. An Airbus A350, clad in a celebratory livery that is a real trip down memory lane, ushered in the anniversary year with a clear message: to look forward, without forgetting where it all began.

The chosen livery is a direct homage to the company's most iconic past: the legendary "lettuce leaf sandwich" with the historic green and white stripes that for decades plied the skies of the world. An immediate reminder of the golden age of Asian aviation, when Hong Kong was not yet the futuristic Chek Lap Kok but the legendary Kai Tak, the urban airport that made the former British colony's landings unique.

A plane that tells an 80-year story

The celebratory A350 is not just a special livery: it is an identity statement. Next to the vintage design stands the branding of the80th anniversary, symbolizing the bridge between the past and the future of one of the world's most iconic companies.

Cathay announced that a second "lettuce leaf sandwich" livery will also be applied to a Boeing 747 freighter in the coming weeks, thus extending the tribute not only to passengers, but also to the logistical heart of the company.

"80 Years Together": Cathay and Hong Kong, a shared history.

The theme chosen for the whole of 2026 is "80 Years Together", and it is not just any slogan. Cathay Pacific was founded in 1946 and since then. Has accompanied Hong Kong at every stage of its evolution, from the small airport of Kai Tak to becoming one of the largest international hubs on the planet.

As the group's CEO, Ronald Lam, recalled, Cathay and Hong Kong "have grown together," supporting each other in times of expansion and in harder times: from the economic boom years to the global crises, from the pandemic to the resurgence of intercontinental connections. Study abroad, do business, explore the world, return home: For generations of travelers, Cathay has been the direct link to Hong Kong.

Vintage uniforms, merchandising and a year-long celebration

The celebrations do not stop with planes. Over the course of 2026 Between 1,000 and 2,000 air and ground crew members will wear historic uniforms, visually tracing the different eras of the company. An elegant and deeply identifiable way to pay tribute to the people who have built Cathay's service over the past eighty years.

It is also planned to A merchandise collection inspired by historic liveries and iconic graphic elements of the company, declined on products related to travel and everyday life.

Investment, new routes and new booths: celebration looks to the future

Anniversary is not just nostalgia. Cathay reaffirmed an investment plan exceeding Hong Kong's $100 billion, involving fleet, cabins, lounges and digital innovation. Over 100 new aircraft are in order, while the network has already returned to exceed the 100 global destinations, with new routes launched in 2025 alone to Rome, Munich, Brussels, Adelaide, Dallas-Fort Worth and many other cities.

The introduction of new cabins will also continue in 2026: Air Suite in Business Class, the new Premium Economy on Boeing 777-300ERs and, later, a new flat-bed Business Class on A330s. On the ground, it will return to operational The Wing First Lounge in Hong Kong, while A Cathay lounge will debut for the first time at JFK in New York.

An anniversary that speaks of identity

Yesterday's takeoff of the celebratory A350 was not only a symbolic event: it was A moment of reconnection with the soul of Cathay Pacific.. In an industry racing toward the future with new cabins, aircraft and technologies, Cathay has chosen to pause for a moment and remember where it came from.

From the impossible curves above the buildings of Kai Tak to the ultramodern corridors of Chek Lap Kok, Cathay continues to tell Hong Kong's story through flight.

And this A350, with its vintage livery, is the most elegant way to say that 80 years is not a milestone, but just the beginning of a new chapter.