Monday, November 25, 2024 ​ Cathay’s longstanding commitment to fostering youth development in Hong Kong was on full display on 23 November with the completion of its popular Cathay Community Flight 2024. Marking the culmination of a series of activities organised by Cathay in support of the Hong Kong SAR (HKSAR) Government’s Strive and Rise Programme, this year‘s Community Flight saw over 180 students and mentors soar through the skies over Hong Kong on a memorable 90-minute journey onboard the airline’s newly retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

This marks the second consecutive year in which Cathay has participated in the Government’s Strive and Rise Programme, which aims to help young people broaden their horizons, reinforce their self-confidence, develop a positive outlook on life, and set goals for the future.

The Cathay Community Flight 2024 was hosted by Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau, with Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government Eric Chan Kwok-ki as Guest of Honour.

Delivering a speech at the event, the Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said: “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cathay for its staunch support of the Strive and Rise Programme. For the first and second cohorts of this initiative, Cathay has actively recruited mentors to help our young participants develop a positive outlook on life.

“Even more encouraging is that Cathay has organised 25 activities over these two cohorts, including Community Flights and a series of Aviation Exploration Days, offering more than 2,500 students and mentors the opportunity to take part in the community flights and visit Cathay’s facilities as well as those of the broader airport community, and to learn about how different roles within the aviation industry contribute to the city’s economic development. Not only does today’s Community Flight mark the annual grand finale of Cathay’s support for the Strive and Rise Programme, it is also a vivid embodiment of what I often tell the students, ‘Stand tall, look up and get ahead!’”

Cathay’s Lavinia Lau said: “With our deep roots in Hong Kong, Cathay is committed to enriching the community with a primary focus on youth development. Having renewed our support for the Strive and Rise Programme for a second year, we have been honoured to organise various activities, including an Aviation Exploration Day in February, to introduce students from disadvantaged backgrounds to the fascinating world of aviation and empower them to strive towards their future goals.

“Sharing the joy of flying with these students and their mentors today was truly special. For many, it was their first time onboard an aircraft, and witnessing their excitement as they got to experience our very latest cabin products while enjoying inflight dining and services was incredibly heartening.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the many Cathay volunteers, ground staff, and cockpit and cabin crew whose incredible efforts made this meaningful endeavour possible. I’m confident that this experience will go a long way towards inspiring our youth and making a difference in our society.”

Launched in 2007, the Cathay Community Flight is among a wide range of initiatives the airline champions to promote youth development. These include the I Can Fly programme, the Cadet Pilot Training Programme, training courses held in collaboration with the Vocational Training Council, various summer internship and graduate trainee programmes, and most recently, the Cathay Hackathon, which expanded into the wider Greater Bay Area for the first time this year.

For more information on Cathay’s community programmes, please visit www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/about-us/community-relations/community-programmes.html.