Cathay Pacific apologises over inflight Family Guy episode referencing Tiananmen Square

Cathay Pacific has apologised after an episode of Family Guy depicting Tiananmen Square was included in inflight entertainment.

The episode of the adult animated series – known for pushing boundaries – includes a scene referencing the 1989 protest crackdown, in which China’s military violently suppressed massive pro-democracy protests.

Cathay Pacific is Hong Kong’s flagship airline.

“Cathay Pacific is aware of the incident and sincerely apologises to the affected customers,” the company said in a statement.

“We emphasise that the content of the programme does not represent Cathay Pacific’s standpoint, and have immediately arranged to have the programme removed as soon as possible.”

The airline said the content of its inflight entertainment system is managed by a third-party provider.

“We have consistently provided them with clear instructions to ensure that the recommended content meets our company standards.

“We have promptly informed the service provider of the seriousness of the incident, and have instructed them to thoroughly investigate the cause and strengthen oversight to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future.”

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For three decades, an annual vigil in Hong Kong honoured those who died in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989.

However, the group that organised the vigil has disbanded amid a crackdown on political activism in the semi-autonomous city.