Cathay – Hong Kong’s home carrier – kicked off its 80th-anniversary celebrations on 7 February by pledging to ‘uplift 80 000 lives’ through expanded youth, sports and arts partnerships. At the airline’s headquarters, Chief Customer & Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau announced collaborations with Rugby For Good and HandsOn Hong Kong, alongside an enlarged ‘I Can Fly’ aviation-education scheme that will take students to Adelaide, the mainland and beyond.(news.cathaypacific.com)
While the day’s focus was community, the event doubled as an update on network growth. Executives reiterated plans to launch direct Seattle-Hong Kong flights in March and to reopen a bespoke lounge in New York JFK’s new Terminal 6 later this year. Cathay and low-cost affiliate HK Express together expect to serve more than 100 passenger destinations in 2026, signalling a near-complete recovery of Hong Kong’s pre-pandemic connectivity.
For corporate mobility managers, Cathay’s outreach matters. The airline’s Business Plus platform – used by over 17 000 Hong Kong SMEs – will integrate the new routes, offering modest fare incentives to companies that commit sustainable-travel targets. Meanwhile, Marco Polo Club changes due in April will grant emerging-market travellers enhanced lounge access, a move welcomed by relocation firms relocating talent to the SAR.
![Cathay marks 80th anniversary with youth-focused programmes as airline readies new routes]()
For companies and individual travellers inspired by Cathay’s expanding network, getting the right travel documents in place is just as important as booking the flight itself. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong page (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers a quick, online way to secure visas and passports for more than 200 destinations, with real-time tracking and expert support teams that help HR departments and frequent flyers avoid costly delays.
Cathay’s 80-year milestone also highlights the role that a robust flag carrier plays in Hong Kong’s talent-attraction agenda. “Every new destination strengthens our position as a super-connector,” Lau told guests, echoing the government’s rhetoric on turning the city into a premium events and meetings hub.
Aviation analysts point out that Cathay’s fleet refurbishment – notably the rollout of the Aria Suite business-class product – will give the airline a competitive edge on long-haul corporate routes against Gulf and Mainland rivals. With business-class demand now at 92 percent of 2019 levels, those upgrades could be decisive in drawing high-value travellers back through Hong Kong.
While the day’s focus was community, the event doubled as an update on network growth. Executives reiterated plans to launch direct Seattle-Hong Kong flights in March and to reopen a bespoke lounge in New York JFK’s new Terminal 6 later this year. Cathay and low-cost affiliate HK Express together expect to serve more than 100 passenger destinations in 2026, signalling a near-complete recovery of Hong Kong’s pre-pandemic connectivity.
For corporate mobility managers, Cathay’s outreach matters. The airline’s Business Plus platform – used by over 17 000 Hong Kong SMEs – will integrate the new routes, offering modest fare incentives to companies that commit sustainable-travel targets. Meanwhile, Marco Polo Club changes due in April will grant emerging-market travellers enhanced lounge access, a move welcomed by relocation firms relocating talent to the SAR.
For companies and individual travellers inspired by Cathay’s expanding network, getting the right travel documents in place is just as important as booking the flight itself. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong page (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers a quick, online way to secure visas and passports for more than 200 destinations, with real-time tracking and expert support teams that help HR departments and frequent flyers avoid costly delays.
Cathay’s 80-year milestone also highlights the role that a robust flag carrier plays in Hong Kong’s talent-attraction agenda. “Every new destination strengthens our position as a super-connector,” Lau told guests, echoing the government’s rhetoric on turning the city into a premium events and meetings hub.
Aviation analysts point out that Cathay’s fleet refurbishment – notably the rollout of the Aria Suite business-class product – will give the airline a competitive edge on long-haul corporate routes against Gulf and Mainland rivals. With business-class demand now at 92 percent of 2019 levels, those upgrades could be decisive in drawing high-value travellers back through Hong Kong.
