[Cathay] 3rd 80th Anniversary Special Livery Aircraft 'Spirit of Hong Kong' Takes Flight in March
Cathay Pacific has launched its third 80th-anniversary special livery aircraft, the 'Spirit of Hong Kong', in collaboration with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 20:43
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Cathay Pacific, the airline operation of Cathay (Headquarters: Hong Kong, CEO: Ronald Lam), began operating the 'Spirit of Hong Kong - 80th Anniversary Edition', an art-themed special livery aircraft created in collaboration with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA), in March.
This special livery is applied to a single Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft and is the third special livery aircraft commemorating Cathay's 80th anniversary, following the previously announced 'Lettuce Sandwich' designs on an Airbus A350 passenger aircraft and a Boeing 747 freighter. The Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft has been undergoing a full cabin refresh sequentially since 2024, featuring the latest 'Aria Suite' business class and a new premium economy class.
To coincide with 'World Art Day' on April 15th, we are reintroducing the background of our art initiatives and the appeal of the design of the 'Spirit of Hong Kong - 80th Anniversary Edition' special livery aircraft, which has already flown to Japan multiple times.
The West Kowloon Cultural District is a premier cultural and arts hub representing Hong Kong, and Cathay has been its exclusive travel partner since 2023. Through air transport services, Cathay continuously supports the West Kowloon Cultural District by transporting valuable artworks for exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum (*1) and the M+ museum of contemporary visual culture, as well as providing travel assistance for domestic and international artists participating in exhibitions and performing arts programs of the West Kowloon Cultural District held in Hong Kong and overseas. In 2025, the video series 'WestK in the Sky' (*2), produced by the West Kowloon Cultural District, was also made available on Cathay's inflight entertainment system.
This special livery aircraft initiative fuses the WKCDA's brand vision, 'Where Art Comes Alive', with Cathay's ethos, 'Move Beyond', which aims to provide higher quality and meaningful customer experiences. It further solidifies the long-term commitment of these two iconic Hong Kong brands to support community-rooted cultural and artistic creativity and to share its appeal with the world.
The design is inspired by the 'Gallery in the Skies' concept currently deployed in the business class of the Boeing 777-300ER and features the work of Hong Kong multimedia artist Victor Wong. It is an innovative piece of art created using cutting-edge technology that generates landscapes based on geographical data inputted by the artist.
The fuselage is adorned with Cathay's 80th-anniversary logo, '80 Years Together', and the West Kowloon Cultural District logo. The 'Spirit of Hong Kong - 80th Anniversary Edition' elevates the aircraft itself into a 'flying canvas', connecting people, culture, and ideas to the future while bringing new inspiration to the skies of the world.
Furthermore, as a joint project with the West Kowloon Cultural District, Cathay's sonic branding, 'Song of Cathay', has also been reinterpreted. This track is arranged by Patrick Lui, an award-winning Hong Kong pianist, composer, arranger, and music producer. It incorporates elements of modern jazz, evokes a sense of cultural richness, and colors the beginning of a journey. The newly reinterpreted 'Song of Cathay' is scheduled to be used on select Cathay Pacific flights from mid-2026 onwards.
Comment from Bernard Charnwut Chan, Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA)
As one of the world's leading cultural and arts hubs, the West Kowloon Cultural District has been working to expand its network of partnerships and driving the dual strategies of 'bringing in' and 'going global', developing Hong Kong into an international center for cultural exchange where East meets West. The 'Spirit of Hong Kong' embodies the West Kowloon Cultural District's vision of connecting the world across boundaries, and we hope it will inspire travelers from around the globe to experience Hong Kong's profound cultural heritage and boundless creativity.
Comment from Ronald Lam, CEO of Cathay Group
For 80 years, Cathay has grown together with Hong Kong. As we celebrate this milestone as '80 Years Together', while looking back at the past with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 747...
This special livery is applied to a single Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft and is the third special livery aircraft commemorating Cathay's 80th anniversary, following the previously announced 'Lettuce Sandwich' designs on an Airbus A350 passenger aircraft and a Boeing 747 freighter. The Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft has been undergoing a full cabin refresh sequentially since 2024, featuring the latest 'Aria Suite' business class and a new premium economy class.
To coincide with 'World Art Day' on April 15th, we are reintroducing the background of our art initiatives and the appeal of the design of the 'Spirit of Hong Kong - 80th Anniversary Edition' special livery aircraft, which has already flown to Japan multiple times.
The West Kowloon Cultural District is a premier cultural and arts hub representing Hong Kong, and Cathay has been its exclusive travel partner since 2023. Through air transport services, Cathay continuously supports the West Kowloon Cultural District by transporting valuable artworks for exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum (*1) and the M+ museum of contemporary visual culture, as well as providing travel assistance for domestic and international artists participating in exhibitions and performing arts programs of the West Kowloon Cultural District held in Hong Kong and overseas. In 2025, the video series 'WestK in the Sky' (*2), produced by the West Kowloon Cultural District, was also made available on Cathay's inflight entertainment system.
This special livery aircraft initiative fuses the WKCDA's brand vision, 'Where Art Comes Alive', with Cathay's ethos, 'Move Beyond', which aims to provide higher quality and meaningful customer experiences. It further solidifies the long-term commitment of these two iconic Hong Kong brands to support community-rooted cultural and artistic creativity and to share its appeal with the world.
The design is inspired by the 'Gallery in the Skies' concept currently deployed in the business class of the Boeing 777-300ER and features the work of Hong Kong multimedia artist Victor Wong. It is an innovative piece of art created using cutting-edge technology that generates landscapes based on geographical data inputted by the artist.
The fuselage is adorned with Cathay's 80th-anniversary logo, '80 Years Together', and the West Kowloon Cultural District logo. The 'Spirit of Hong Kong - 80th Anniversary Edition' elevates the aircraft itself into a 'flying canvas', connecting people, culture, and ideas to the future while bringing new inspiration to the skies of the world.
Furthermore, as a joint project with the West Kowloon Cultural District, Cathay's sonic branding, 'Song of Cathay', has also been reinterpreted. This track is arranged by Patrick Lui, an award-winning Hong Kong pianist, composer, arranger, and music producer. It incorporates elements of modern jazz, evokes a sense of cultural richness, and colors the beginning of a journey. The newly reinterpreted 'Song of Cathay' is scheduled to be used on select Cathay Pacific flights from mid-2026 onwards.
Comment from Bernard Charnwut Chan, Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA)
As one of the world's leading cultural and arts hubs, the West Kowloon Cultural District has been working to expand its network of partnerships and driving the dual strategies of 'bringing in' and 'going global', developing Hong Kong into an international center for cultural exchange where East meets West. The 'Spirit of Hong Kong' embodies the West Kowloon Cultural District's vision of connecting the world across boundaries, and we hope it will inspire travelers from around the globe to experience Hong Kong's profound cultural heritage and boundless creativity.
Comment from Ronald Lam, CEO of Cathay Group
For 80 years, Cathay has grown together with Hong Kong. As we celebrate this milestone as '80 Years Together', while looking back at the past with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 747...