hey alph, here's another:

what about the significance of the THICKNESS of the white stripes on the "cucumber sandwich" livery...

OOOH!

"the truth is out there" Mulder.

Hole Digger and Cheap Tractor:

Thanks for your contributions.

"...if you were around at the time, a significant topic in Hong Kong then." :eek:

Gosh Al, that MUST have been a really RIVETTING topic of conversation!! :rolleyes:

(BTW, in case you hadn't noticed, your literary style and knowledge of ALL things, isn't terribly different from 411A's.)

C'est deux Suisses qui se promènent.
Tout à coup, il y en a un qui se retourne et qui écrase un escargot.
Il m'énervait, celui-là !
Ca fait une demi-heure qu'il nous suivait

Especially the "Cheap Tractor" dig. That's exclusively the domain of the S.O.G.

Ever wonder where the TriStar mega-carrier fleet is?

ARIZONA Desert. Getting harder to get "s" by the day.

Kaptin M:

Thanks, I am not even distantly related to 411A.

If you, Hole Digger and Cheap Tractor, would care to go work your way back through this thread, you would come to the point where a reasonably serious discussion commenced on the real or perceived control Swire have over CX.

The removal of the Union Jack from CX a/c prior to the brushstroke design was at the time widely interpreted as a gesture towards CITIC Pacific (and by extension to PR China), who had initially purchased a 12.5% stake in CX in 1991 and who had other joint business interests with Swire. In 1996, CITIC Pacific increased its shareholding in CX to 25%. In the pre-97 days, an application was filed by CNAC to start up a HK-based carrier that could have threatened Cathay's very existence unless PR China could be somehow accommodated within the existing CX structure. You will also note that the CNAC application has never been withdrawn.

If you have any notion of politics and business in China, you will know that even minor outward changes can signal major fundamental shifts.

It's a pity that you have no contributions of greater gravity to make in this respect, gentlemen.

What a pompous bore!

Alf

I am not sure how I can permeate the thick outer layer here but I will try one more time.

The sensitivities of of HK being part of China aside, Swire is still in charge at CX. CITIC is a significant shareholder and has comensurate influence. End of story.

The blighty flag on the tail is a red herring. It started being pulled down well before CITIC was on the block.

Let's move on....

Don't bother mate, it's difficult to argue with a Swiss admiral.:rolleyes: