The Legendary Cathay Pacific Crew Song: a blog about the crew song’s history and how you can join in on the musical journey.
The Crew Song is a Hong Kong institution. It’s been around for over 50 years, and has grown to become an integral part of Cathay Pacific’s culture and brand. But to those outside of the airline industry, it can seem a little mysterious. How did it begin? Why does it exist? And who wrote those lyrics anyway?
As part of Cathay Pacific’s 70th anniversary celebrations in 2014, we’re re-launching this blog to tell the story of our crew song and its place within the company. This is a work in progress, so please bear with us as we uncover more stories to share. We’d love to hear from anyone who has their own memories or anecdotes about the song – just leave a comment below!
Legendary Cathay Pacific Crew Song
The Legendary Cathay Pacific Crew Song: a blog about the crew song’s history and how you can join in on the musical journey.
Airlines have song and dance routines to get their crews warmed up before they fly. Cathay Pacific has a particularly famous one – it was performed at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, and has been covered by The Flight Attendant Chorus.
This blog aims to be a resource for anyone interested in the song, whether you are a member of the public or a member of staff with Cathay Pacific or any other airline. Here you will find a history of the song, interviews with some of those involved, tips on learning and performing the song, and much more.
Contact us if you have anything you would like to see featured or have any questions!
On any given flight, you can find a crew full of music lovers. It’s easy to see why: music is a great way to express ourselves and our emotions. The Cathay Pacific crew song is just one example of how that can be done.
The crew song has been around since the 1970s. It was originally used as a means for flight attendants to make announcements on the plane. The idea was that it would be more fun than having someone talk over the PA system, but it didn’t really catch on at first.
It took about twenty years for people to start singing along with the crew song, so by 1990 it was well known throughout Cathay Pacific. But there was still something missing from this musical experience: a way for passengers to join in on the fun!
And that’s where you come in! Now that you’ve heard the crew sing their hearts out, why not add your voice to theirs? We hope you’ll have as much fun doing it as we do every day!
The Crew Song is one of Cathay Pacific’s most treasured traditions. For decades, the song has been a source of pride, unity and fun for the airline’s cabin crew. Join us as we explore its history and read about how you too can sing along!
The Crew Song
Cathay Pacific celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2010 and has since been the name to beat when it comes to providing quality service. Much of this is due to the work and efforts of our flight crew, who have helped shape Cathay Pacific into what it is today.
The Crew Song, first launched in 1975, takes on an important part in helping us form connections with our customers. The lyrics aim to capture the spirit of flight and the shared experiences we have as a Flight Attendant. And that’s not all! This song is also a great way to show the kind of fun we have while doing our jobs, which makes Cathay Pacific such a unique airline to work for.
History
The Crew Song was written by Cathay Pacific’s first pilot, John Swaffield, in 1950. It was in the form of a poem which he took to a local tailor, J.J. Vinden, to compose the music for. A well known Hong Kong musician of the time, Jack Cookerly, arranged the melody and it was recorded on vinyl record by Polydor Records in 1952. The first time this was heard publicly was on board a flight to Saigon on 8 July 1952. The song was subsequently played at the opening of Kai Tak Airport in 1958.
Crew Days
Crew Days are held at various cities around Cathay Pacific’s network each month where our passengers and crew come together to enjoy some music and dancing with their friends and family members. The highlight of the evening is when everyone joins together to sing our famous Crew Song.
As a Flight Attendant for Cathay Pacific Airways, you will be based in Hong Kong and flying across our network. Through our extensive global network, you will have the opportunity to travel the world and gain first-hand knowledge of different cultures and customs.
As a member of our cabin crew, you will receive ongoing training to ensure that you are delivering service excellence to customers at all times. We also provide opportunities for career advancement and development so that you can reach your full potential.
Responsibilities:
Inflight
• Deliver excellent customer service with a can-do attitude
• Ensure the comfort of passengers throughout their journey
• Provide information and assistance to passengers during flights
• Assist with the loading of cabin baggage, cargo and catering supplies onto aircrafts