Wouldn't want to disappoint you Sandor ! The A310 pilot received widespread deep criticism from the professionals for what was seen as downright dangerous performance with ZERO margin for error, remember one cannot evven see the wingtips on a large jet. Very skilled but VERY dangerous.

The 777 flyby was not at all dangerous, IMHO. Straight and level at about 180 knots (see the flap selection, looks to be about 5) blown up by the media to 300 plus mph !! After all, the runway is level and unobstructed, there is a dead accurate radio altimeter giving height in small increments, hardly dangerous and anyone in charge of a large airliner should be able to do it with ease and safety. Sure there is a LITTLE risk as the machine is quite close to the ground , about 40 feet, but hardly dangerous.

There has to be more to the sacking than meets the eye. No one with half a brain is going to do such a flyby with the CEO on board if he thought it was unsafe, and the CEO was seen drinking champagne with the Capt after arrival in HKG. He was sacked later, go figure !

A sacking for the flyby, something of a CX tradition on departure of a new aircraft, seems something of a severe overkill after the Captain of a 747 written off (nearly) in BKK due, according the official accident report, to serious errors of basic airmanship and flying skills, kept his job !

Regards, David Gladwin.

PS The new CX livery got more media exposure than the best PR man could have dreamed of, and my guess is it will do them no harm commercially, whatsoever, in fact just the opposite ! And all for free !