Cathay Pacific Reveals New 80th Anniversary ‘Spirit of Hong Kong’ Livery on Boeing 777

Cathay Pacific has unveiled a striking new aircraft livery to mark its 80th anniversary, applying the special design to a Boeing 777-300ER registered B-KQU. The aircraft carries the new “Spirit of Hong Kong – 80th Anniversary Edition” scheme, created in partnership with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and inspired by Hong Kong’s vibrant arts scene.

The special aircraft joins several other commemorative liveries introduced during the airline’s milestone anniversary celebrations, giving aviation enthusiasts and spotters a series of unique Cathay Pacific jets to look out for around the world.

A new ‘Spirit of Hong Kong’ design

The newly revealed livery appears on a Boeing 777-300ER, one of the airline’s flagship long-haul aircraft types. The design is based on artwork by Hong Kong multimedia artist Victor Wong and reflects the city’s cultural landscape, drawing on geographical data to generate abstract landscapes and colours across the aircraft’s fuselage.

Cathay Pacific says the concept echoes its “Gallery in the Skies” cabin design philosophy, celebrating creativity and connecting Hong Kong’s culture with global audiences.

The result is a bold and modern special scheme that stands out clearly against the airline’s familiar brushwing livery.

Part of a wider 80th anniversary celebration

The new 777 joins a small group of special aircraft introduced to mark Cathay Pacific’s 80 years of operations.

Earlier in the anniversary celebrations, the airline revealed:

• An Airbus A350-900 (B-LRJ) painted in a retro version of Cathay Pacific’s classic “lettuce leaf sandwich” livery, recalling the green-and-white scheme used during the 1970s and 1980s.

• A Cathay Cargo Boeing 747-8F (B-LJE) carrying the same heritage design, highlighting the airline’s long history in global cargo operations.

These aircraft celebrate both the airline’s past and present — from its classic jet era through to today’s modern long-haul fleet.

A long history of special liveries

Cathay Pacific has a tradition of introducing special aircraft liveries to commemorate major milestones and events. Over the years, its fleet has carried several “Spirit of Hong Kong” designs highlighting the city’s culture and identity, including versions painted on Boeing 747s and 777s.

The latest 777 design continues that tradition while adding a distinctly modern artistic style to mark the airline’s anniversary year.

One for aviation enthusiasts to watch

With the Boeing 777-300ER B-KQU now entering service in its new colours, spotters can expect the aircraft to appear across Cathay Pacific’s long-haul network from Hong Kong.

Alongside the retro A350 and anniversary 747 freighter, it gives aviation enthusiasts several distinctive Cathay Pacific aircraft to track during the airline’s year-long 80th anniversary celebrations.

For plane spotters, it’s another reason to keep an eye on Cathay Pacific movements — and perhaps add a few special liveries to the logbook.