Cathay Pacific transforms Hong Kong trams into moving history

To celebrate its 80th anniversary, Cathay Pacific has brought four iconic aircraft liveries to life on Hong Kong’s trams, transforming them from the runways to the city streets.

The iconic designs include the silver fuselage of the classic Douglas DC-3, affectionately nicknamed "Betsy"; the inaugural green-and-white livery of the Convair 880; the legendary "lettuce leaf sandwich" pattern; and the contemporary "brushwing" logo.

These historic trams will traverse various routes across Hong Kong Island through February 19th, inviting the public to connect with the airline’s storied past.

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Edward Bell, Cathay general manager, brand, insights and marketing communications, said while Cathay's aircraft naturally belongs in the sky, this campaign deliberately brings those memories down to the ground.

"We chose trams because they’re an iconic part of everyday Hong Kong life—moving slowly through neighbourhoods and giving people the chance to see our designs up close. By taking our heritage from the sky to the ground, we create a warm and accessible way for the community to reconnect with our story and relive the memories we’ve shared over the past eight decades."

To make an even bigger impact, Cathay kicked off the campaign with a tram parade featuring cabin crew in vintage uniforms onboard, paying tribute to the generations who have defined its signature service, he said. "This brought our history to life in a vivid, photogenic and highly engaging way—capturing public attention and reinforcing the nostalgic spirit at the heart of our celebrations."

"As the opening activation, the tram initiative—anchored by our unifying theme of '80 years together' sets a highly visible and emotionally resonant tone for the year ahead, inviting everyone in Hong Kong to celebrate this milestone together," he added.

This comes as part of Cathay's 80th anniversary campaign, celebrating eight decades of moving its home city, people and global customers forward since 1946, Bell said.

"To mark the start of a year long celebration, we aim to take the public on a journey through our heritage by featuring our iconic aircraft liveries and the vintage uniforms that defined each era—honouring our legacy of bringing people together. These elements are designed to spark nostalgia, highlight key milestones, and honour the emotional connection we’ve built with the city across generations through countless shared journeys and memories, from Kai Tak to Chek Lap Kok."

Most recently, Cathay unveiled a special aircraft livery on one of its long-haul Airbus A350 passenger aircraft at a launch event on. Featuring the airline’s iconic “lettuce leaf sandwich” design along with the 80th anniversary year mark, the livery pays homage to the signature green-and-white striped paint scheme, reflecting Cathay’s legacy and symbolising its continued growth and progress. A second ​“lettuce leaf sandwich” livery on one of Cathay’s Boeing 747 freighters has also been revealed.

Apart from the aircraft, cabin crew donning Cathay Pacific’s vintage uniforms from various design eras will also make special appearances, paying tribute to the generations of people who have defined the signature Cathay service in the skies. Throughout 2026, approximately 1,000 to 2,000 of Cathay’s cabin crew and ground staff will wear and showcase these vintage uniforms at work, bringing the evolution of the Cathay brand to life in true Cathay style.

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