This was Cathay’s first special livery, commissionned by the airline, and the work of freelance artist Annie Lee On-nei. As the territory was being handed-over back to China, the livery was unveiled on June 20, 1997 to convey a message of faith in the future of the city (which can be read in Chinese on the port side of the plane but was not translated in English on the plane). The registration of the plane changed from VR- prefix to B- on July 1st, 1997.
In 2000 and 2013 two subsequent redesigns of that concept were unveiled. It is interesting to note that over the years, the people have become more prominent than the skyline on the livery. Between 2002 and 2013, the airline used a more abstract design to promote HK as «Asia’s World City».
