Planes undergo maintenance all the time, and undergo heavy maintenance every few years. During this time it’s normal for airplanes to be repainted, both so the planes look “fresher,” and also to reflect any updated branding the airline may have. For example, a couple of years ago Cathay Pacific introduced new branding and a new livery, and they’re still in the process of repainting all their planes with this new livery.
Well, it looks like one of those paint jobs didn’t go quite as planned. I guess mistakes can happen with just about anything, no matter how simple, right?
A Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300 (with registration code B-HNO) that has been flying for the airline since 2004 recently got a new paint job. On September 19 the plane flew from Xiamen to Hong Kong, as presumably that work is done in Xiamen.
The plane was back in Hong Kong and ready to enter service when they noticed something wasn’t quite right with the livery:
At first I assumed this had to be a prank, because presumably they couldn’t get something this wrong? Like even if they weren’t looking at the individual letters, doesn’t the gap between the two words look way smaller than usual?
But nope, Cathay Pacific has confirmed on Twitter that this really happened, and it looks like their short term solution is to cover up the last “IC” of the name to save face until the plane gets repainted. Hah.
Oops this special livery won’t last long! She’s going back to the shop!
(Source: HKADB) pic.twitter.com/20SRQpKXET— Cathay Pacific (@cathaypacific) September 19, 2018
Kudos to Cathay Pacific for at least having a good sense of humor about this and poking fun at the situation.
What does it look like on the other side of the fuselage?
Reminds me of Nury Vittachi’s column in the ( sadly no longer ) Far Eastern Economic Review; he covered all of this kind of mangled English and in a very funny way.
I've seen huge and amusing typos before but this seemes excessive...
Sum Ting Wong!
For the record, I’m Korean-Japanese.
I’d say it’s an honest mistake in a city where “Chinglish” is common. Sinitic and Indo-European languages are vastly different. That being said, someone’s head will have to roll to save “face.”
While the word intended is probably "incredible", "incredulous" is not totally wrong, it could be shorthand for "I can't believe this!"
Also came here wondering about the use of the word "incredulous."
@Stvr we had the same thought!
Most likely a paint contractor, they realized the error but needed the plane out on a route anyway.
Is it their secret of doing this to announce their new destination to Hawa"ii" ;-)
You can be "incredulous".
The event of this occurring is "incredible."
That said, "incredulous" does not "stunned, amazed, floored."
It means skeptical.
Maybe you didn't believe this news?
This is the second boardingarea blogger in a month to totally misuse the word incredulous. What’s in the water at your headquarters?
But I mean the plane doesn't have F class anyways
HK, there is nothing racist about asking for someone who can work to the barest minimum of Western standards.
Since this is one of my pet peeves... You can be incredulous, but it is incredible (or something else).
@kevin racist much?
Who signed off for the job should get fired. The planes should never made its way back to Hong Kong like this.
This is an early indicator that they are eliminating F from their entire fleet.
Speaking from a branding perspective, it unfortunately just enforces a negative stereotype of Chinese being sloppy drones who will cut corners wherever possible, come hell or high water.
Therefore, while is fun in some circles, it will not reflect well on the brand *at all*. It seriously leads to doubts about what other glaring mistakes they don't catch.
I like sung's idea.
They would be fools to change this. This plane will become a meme all by own.
They should make it iconic by simply putting a ^ and F over it. It would make it an unique livery within the fleet, and some publicity.
henry LAX - good one!!!
The template is clearly letter by letter and not the entire word. Someone missed the F.
Well, B-HNO has regional configuration (C42Y356) without F class.
CX just simply doesn't give a F anymore
@VT-CIE: Paki (OK, with a k) is racial slur for Pakistani.
Nonstop Dan just uploaded a video on youtube of Cathay Pacific and he flew on this same plane lol.
@AJO: What does Pakistan have to do with it?
How the F does this even happen?
Now let’s see if they deploy this frame to LHE/KHI/ISB...
that plane is NOT f'd up
Hah, more like B-OHNO...I thought it was a prank when I first saw this too!
They will definitely not change contractor. The current contractor also belongs to Swire Group, which owns CX.
And no one saw this at the paint shop?
Probably should find a new paint contractor who speaks English...