Cathay Pacific will bring back the retro “Lettuce Leaf Sandwich” livery on an A350 passenger aircraft and a 747 freighter as part of its 80th-anniversary celebrations this year, said Cathay Group Chief Executive Ronald Lam Siu-por on Tuesday.
Giving his speech at the ceremony, Lam stated that the two aircraft will be painted in the green-and-white striped design, which was used by the airline between 1971 and 1994, while over a thousand ground staff and cabin crew members will also wear retro uniforms.
He mentioned that Cathay Pacific performed strongly during the Christmas and New Year holidays, with bookings for the Lunar New Year holiday also looking promising.
Regarding Air China’s reduction of its stake in Cathay Pacific by approximately 1.6 percent to 27.11 percent, which realized HK$1.32 billion, Lam said he understands it is a tactical move and stressed that "Air China will remain our long-term, strategic shareholder."
He noted that Cathay Pacific has been undergoing post-pandemic recovery over the past three years and is now entering a period of normalized growth.
This includes the launch of 20 new destinations last year, with plans to introduce more new flights and destinations in the future, such as a new direct route from Hong Kong to Seattle, USA, commencing in March.
Furthermore, Lam stated that over the past 80 years, Cathay Pacific has grown alongside Hong Kong, witnessing the city’s economic rise from the post-war era through the 1970s and 1980s, and its development into an international financial center today.
The airline will invest well over HK$100 billion to enhance customer experience, continue supporting Hong Kong’s development as an international aviation hub, and thereby better connect China with the world.
