Cathay Pacific is marking 80 years of service with a whole host of celebrations including a special Airbus A350-900 painted in a retro livery and over 1,000 cabin crew staff members donning vintage uniforms during flights.
On January 6, 2026, Cathay Group CEO Ronald Lam spoke at celebratory service to kick off a year of 80th anniversary jubilations, marking eight decades since the carrier launched in 1946.
Celebrations commenced with the first commercial flight of Cathay Pacific’s retro designed A350-900, registered B-LRJ, departing from Hong Kong Airport (HKG) for San Francisco Airport (SFO) shortly after 13:45.
“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 symbolizing its continued growth and progress,” said Cathay Pacific.
Unifying the birthday festivities is the theme of “80 Years Together” which will also see Cathay introduce a second lettuce leaf sandwich livery on a Boeing 747 freighter in the coming weeks.
“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,” said Lam.
He added: “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.”
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for 😍! Our B-LRJ, dressed in special livery, made its inaugural flight today to set our 80th anniversary celebrations in motion 🌟. pic.twitter.com/3gtu9xmb7J
— Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) January 6, 2026
Another big part of this year’s celebrations will be cabin crew staff wearing vintage uniforms during flights from various Cathay design eras in a tribute to the generations of people that have worked for the airline.
“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, bringing the evolution of the Cathay brand to life in true Cathay fashion,” said Cathay Pacific.
In addition, Cathay is also introducing a curated collection of merchandise inspired by the special liveries and iconic designs from different eras of its history.
Throughout the year Cathay will be announcing more ways to celebrate with September 24, 2026, marking the exact 80th anniversary date since the airline was founded.
