Saturday, November 1, 2025 Committed to being a force of positivity to the communities it serves, Cathay proudly hosted its Discovery Flight 2025 today, welcoming some 180 participants from the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Strive and Rise Programme and Kwun Tong Methodist Social Service. The participants were treated to a memorable 90-minute journey over Hong Kong onboard the airline’s newly retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

The Discovery Flight 2025 was hosted by Cathay Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Lavinia Lau, with Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong SAR Government Eric Chan Kwok-ki as Guest of Honour.

Delivering a speech at the event, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki expressed his gratitude to Cathay for its staunch support of the Strive and Rise programme. He highlighted that Cathay has organised more than 40 activities across the three cohorts of the programme, providing unique aviation experiences to over 3,600 students and mentors. These activities include the Discovery Flight and visits to Cathay City and the wider airport area, such as Cathay Dining and Cathay Cargo Terminal, broadening the students’ horizons, and offering them insights into the dynamic world of aviation.

He added that today’s Discovery Flight was a key highlight of the Cathay I Can Fly programme and encouraged everyone to seize the opportunity to expand their perspective, gain new knowledge and forge new connections. Looking ahead, the Government will continue to unite cross-sector efforts to further enhance the Strive and Rise programme. He also expressed hope that Cathay will continue to work hand in hand with wider society to further strengthen Hong Kong’s international aviation hub status.

Cathay’s Lavinia Lau said: “At Cathay, we believe in the power of aviation not just to connect places, but to move people forward in life. Through our flagship I Can Fly programme, we’re proud to play a part in nurturing Hong Kong’s future aviators by providing them with opportunities to learn, grow and be inspired.

“Today’s Discovery Flight is a celebration of the immense potential of our young people, many of whom are experiencing the joy of flying for the first time. It is also a powerful reminder that the sky is the limit and this is just the beginning. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Hong Kong SAR Government, as well as over 100 Cathay volunteers, ground staff and flight crew, for making this meaningful experience possible.”

The event marks a key milestone in Cathay’s refreshed flagship youth development initiative, I Can Fly, which aims to inspire and empower the next generation of aviation enthusiasts through Education, Discovery and Exploration.

The Discovery Flight forms the “Discovery” pillar of the enhanced I Can Fly programme. Alongside the I Can Fly Youth Academy and Aviation Explorer Days, the programme offers a range of unique aviation activities and social service opportunities to help participants broaden their horizons, build confidence and fly high, while nurturing future talent to strengthen Hong Kong’s international aviation hub status. So far this year, the I Can Fly programme has reached about 1,400 young people from across Hong Kong.

Launched in 2003, the Cathay I Can Fly programme is among a wide range of initiatives the airline champions to promote youth development. These include the Cadet Pilot Training Programme, training courses held in collaboration with the Vocational Training Council, various summer internship and graduate trainee programmes, and the Cathay Hackathon, whose final pitch will be held at Cathay City on 16 November 2025.

For more information on Cathay’s community programmes, please visit www.cathaypacific.com.