Broader horizons: the return of our Community Flights

At Cathay, we always want to lift young people to new heights. For some 170 students and mentors, that came alive with our eighth Cathay Community Flight in late May.

It was a welcome return for the programme, which started in 2007 but had to be put on hiatus over the pandemic. Over the years, we’ve welcomed more than a thousand students from less-advantaged families on board. This year’s Cathay Community Flight marked the culmination of a series of initiatives organised by the airline in support of the Hong Kong Government’s “Strive and Rise ” programme, which pairs students with volunteer mentors to help strengthen their self-confidence and develop personal goals.

Captain Candy Wu (our very first female captain), pilot Simon Luk and inflight service manager Audrey Hah welcomed the students – some of whom had never flown before – on board flight CX8350, a state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Over the course of the 90-minute flight, Candy and Simon gave passengers a bird’s eye view of Hong Kong and the South China Sea, before returning to Hong Kong International Airport. In flight, Cathay Ambassador and pilot Christina Ho hosted an inflight games session over our PA system. Our passengers were also treated to an inflight meal – as well as goodie bags and prizes for game winners. 

The Cathay Community Flight 2023 was hosted by Cathay Pacific Group CEO Ronald Lam, while the guest of honour was Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government Eric Chan Kwok-ki. The pair teamed up to hand out special Cathay Pacific bears to each young flyer.

This special flight was all about helping Hong Kong youth to dream big – and maybe even to dream of a life in the skies. “Youth development has long been a core pillar in Cathay’s corporate social responsibility strategy,” said Ronald Lam. “The Cathay Community Flight epitomises our commitment to investing in society’s future by supporting young people to reach their potential and helping them explore opportunities to develop a future career within the aviation industry.” 

Since December last year, we have invited around 1,600 participating students and mentors to a series of Aviation Exploration Days, with visits to Cathay’s facilities and those of the airport as a whole.

“The government would like to sincerely thank Cathay,” said Secretary Chan, who heads the Strive and Rise programme. “I firmly believe that, with the joint efforts of the government, the business sector and the community, we can create a brighter future together for our next generation to strive and rise.”

There was a buzz in the air as flight CX8350 touched down at the airport’s new Third Runway and taxied to the arrival gate. Our passengers headed back into the airport with souvenirs and memories to treasure – and perhaps the start of some sky-high dreams.