The future is colour: behind Cathay’s 80th anniversary aircraft livery
Our focus turns to art as Cathay continues to celebrate 80 Years Together. Through our partnership with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA), a special art livery is taking flight on one of our Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, retrofitted with our award-winning Aria Suite in Business class and new Premium Economy cabin. With the “Spirit of Hong Kong – 80th Anniversary Edition”, Cathay revives a proud tradition, weaving creativity with our identity to represent an evolving Hong Kong while honouring our journey to becoming the global service brand our customers know and love.
Over the years, we’ve introduced three major commemorative liveries and several celebratory iterations, including four Spirit of Hong Kong designs. Each has marked the city’s defining moments with iconic emblems, from its skyline to its celebrated athletes. These visual statements have become milestones in Cathay's story and symbols of our progressive values.
To kick off our 80th anniversary celebrations and pay tribute to our heritage, our classic green‑and‑white ”lettuce leaf sandwich” livery returned to the skies earlier this year on an Airbus A350 passenger aircraft and Boeing 747 freighter.
Credit: Mike Pickles
Credit: Mike Pickles
Credit: Mike Pickles
In collaboration with WKDCA, our special Boeing 777-300ER livery features an interpretation of Paramita 04, an artwork by Hong Kong multimedia artist Victor Wong. Selected from our Gallery in the skies collection, the original artwork is composed of colourful brushstrokes that form a vibrant mindscape. The piece was created using Wong's AI Gemini tool – the world’s first artificial intelligence ink artist – and reflects a convergence of artistry and technology. Alongside the artwork, the livery proudly displays our “80 Years Together” mark and WKCDA’s “WestK” logo.
The artistic journey continues on board. Passengers on select flights will be welcomed with a specially reimagined version of Song of Cathay by award-winning composer, pianist and producer Patrick Lui. The WestK in the Sky video series, meanwhile, invites travellers to explore Hong Kong’s cultural landscape through our award‑winning inflight entertainment.
Credit: Cathay
Credit: Cathay
Credit: Cathay
“West Kowloon Cultural District is shaping the city's identity as a world-class cultural hub where East meets West, ideas converge and creativity thrives,” says Joyce Ho, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Corporate Development) at WKCDA. “Since 2023, we’ve joined hands with Cathay to bring exceptional exhibitions and performances from around the world to Hong Kong through flights and freight support.”
The partnership is taken to “new heights” with the launch of the special livery, she says: “This aircraft carries a flying message: Hong Kong is rich with imagination and talent. This is a defining moment for us to celebrate the city’s creative spirit and carry it to audiences across the globe.”
Credit: Cathay
The collaboration also reflects Cathay’s commitment to community and Hong Kong’s status as a global cultural hub, adds Edward Bell, General Manager of Brand, Insights and Marketing Communications at Cathay: “Upon our 80th anniversary, we celebrate the spirit of Hong Kong with an art livery created with our partner WKCDA. At its heart, this collaboration is about our customers and the role art plays in their lives, while demonstrating how Cathay connects people beyond travel.”
As we celebrate our heritage and look to the future, we’ll continue to push boundaries, inspire creativity and move Hong Kong’s cultural identity to new horizons.
Please note: all renderings are for visual reference only.