Cathay Pacific facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cathay Pacific

Founded	24 September 1946; 78 years ago (1946-09-24)
AOC #	1
Hubs	Hong Kong International Airport
Focus cities	Taipei–Taoyuan
Frequent-flyer program	Cathay Club
Alliance	Oneworld
Subsidiaries	Air Hong Kong HK Express
Fleet size	177
Destinations	88
Parent company	Swire (45%) Air China (30%) Qatar Airways (9.9%)
Headquarters	Cathay City, Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong, China
Key people	Patrick Healy (Chairman) Ronald Lam (CEO)
Revenue	HK$51.036 billion (2022)
Operating income	HK$3.546 billion (2022)
Profit	−HK$6.547 billion (2022)
Total equity	HK$63.884 billion (2022)
Employees	More than 21,200 (2022, including subsidiaries)

Cathay Pacific is a major airline based in Hong Kong. It's like the main airline for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Its main office and biggest airport hub are at Hong Kong International Airport.

Cathay Pacific and its related airlines fly passengers and cargo to over 190 places in more than 60 countries around the world. They use planes like the Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330, Airbus A350, and Boeing 777. Their cargo division, Cathay Cargo, uses Boeing 747 planes for shipping goods.

The airline was started on September 24, 1946, by an Australian, Sydney H. de Kantzow, and an American, Roy C. Farrell. Cathay Pacific is also one of the founding members of Oneworld, a big airline alliance. It has been named the world's best airline four times by Skytrax, showing its high quality.

Cathay Pacific: Flying High from Hong Kong

A Look Back: How it Started

Cathay City, the main office of Cathay Pacific.

Cathay Pacific Airways began in Hong Kong on September 24, 1946. It was founded by former Air Force pilots Sydney "Syd" de Kantzow and Roy Farrell. They had flown planes over the Himalayan mountains during the war. Farrell bought the airline's first plane, a Douglas DC-3, which they called Betsy.

Early Flights and Growth

The company started by flying cargo from Sydney to Shanghai in 1950. Soon, they moved their main operations to Hong Kong. They named the airline Cathay, an old name for China, and Pacific because Farrell hoped they would one day fly across the Pacific. This dream came true in the 1970s!

Their first flight went from Sydney to Hong Kong, stopping in Manila. The airline quickly grew, adding more planes and flying to cities like Singapore, Shanghai, and Bangkok.

In 1948, a British company called Swire Group became the main owner of Cathay Pacific. This happened because the Hong Kong government wanted the airline to be mostly British-owned. Even today, Swire Group is the biggest shareholder.

In the late 1940s, the Hong Kong government divided flight routes between Cathay Pacific and another airline, Hong Kong Airways. Cathay Pacific got routes to the south, while Hong Kong Airways flew north. In 1959, Cathay Pacific bought Hong Kong Airways, becoming the main airline in Hong Kong.

Becoming a Major Airline

The airline grew a lot in the 1950s and 1960s. By 1964, Cathay Pacific had flown one million passengers. It also got its first jet plane, the Convair 880. By 1967, all its planes were jets.

In the 1970s, Cathay Pacific started using computer systems for bookings. They also got their first Boeing 707 aircraft. In 1979, they bought their first Boeing 747, a very large plane. This allowed them to start flying to London in 1980.

The 1980s saw more growth. In 1982, Cathay Pacific Cargo began, helping Hong Kong become a big trading hub. They started flying cargo to places like Frankfurt and London. Passenger flights also expanded to North America and Europe, including Vancouver, San Francisco, and many other major cities. In 1986, Cathay Pacific became a publicly traded company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Modern Times: Changes and Challenges

New Partnerships and Changes

In the 1990s, Cathay Pacific bought shares in other airlines like Dragonair and Air Hong Kong. They also updated their look and logo. In 1998, Cathay Pacific helped create Oneworld, a global airline alliance with other major airlines like American Airlines and British Airways.

A big change happened on July 5, 1998, when Cathay Pacific flew its last flight from the old Kai Tak Airport. The next day, they started flying from the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. One of their first flights from the new airport was a nonstop flight from New York to Hong Kong, flying over the North Pole!

Facing Tough Times

Around 2001, Cathay Pacific had some disagreements with its pilots about pay and work schedules. This led to some pilots being let go, which caused legal battles.

In 2006, Cathay Pacific fully took over Dragonair, making it a part of the Cathay Pacific Group. This helped Cathay Pacific reach more cities in Mainland China. Dragonair was later renamed Cathay Dragon in 2016. However, in 2020, Cathay Dragon stopped flying due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cathay Pacific and its other airline, HK Express, took over its routes.

The airline also faced economic challenges. In 2008, they had a big financial loss, partly due to high fuel prices. They had to cut some flights and reduce staff.

Dealing with Big Changes

Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport in 2018.

In 2010, Cathay Pacific made a record profit, showing they were recovering. They also added new types of planes to their fleet.

In 2018, Cathay Pacific discovered a security issue where some customer information was accessed. They worked to fix this and improve their systems.

In 2019, Cathay Pacific bought HK Express, a low-cost airline in Hong Kong. This helped them offer more flight options.

During a period of protests in Hong Kong in 2019, Cathay Pacific faced challenges related to its employees' involvement. The airline had to make decisions to ensure its operations continued smoothly and safely.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused huge problems for airlines worldwide. Cathay Pacific had to cancel many flights and faced big financial losses. The Hong Kong government provided a rescue package to help the airline. Many jobs were reduced, and some pilot bases were closed.

By 2023, as travel started to recover, Cathay Pacific worked to bring back flights and staff. However, they faced challenges with pilot shortages, leading to some flight cancellations in late 2023 and early 2024. The airline is actively working to recruit more pilots.

What Makes Cathay Pacific Fly?

Where They Fly

A Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER arriving at London Heathrow Airport.

Cathay Pacific flies to 88 destinations in 46 countries across five continents. They have a strong network in Asia. They also fly to many major cities in North America and Europe. They work with partner airlines like American Airlines and British Airways to offer more connections. They even have partnerships with train and ferry operators to connect passengers to more places.

Their Planes

Cathay Pacific uses a mix of Airbus and Boeing planes for passengers. These include both smaller "narrow-body" planes and larger "wide-body" planes. Their cargo division, Cathay Cargo, uses Boeing 747 cargo planes.

Special Programs for Travelers

Cathay Pacific has a loyalty program called Cathay Club. It combines two older programs, Asia Miles and Marco Polo Club. Members can earn "Status Points" when they fly with Cathay Pacific or its Oneworld partners. These points help them reach different membership levels: Green, Silver, Gold, and Diamond.

• Green Tier: This is the starting level. Members get a special phone line for booking flights.
• Silver Tier: When members earn enough points, they reach Silver. They get benefits like choosing seats early, priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, and access to Business Class lounges.
• Gold Tier: Gold members get even more benefits, including a guaranteed Economy Class seat on Cathay Pacific flights if booked early. They also get more baggage allowance and can bring a guest to Business Class lounges.
• Diamond Tier: This is the highest level. Diamond members get top priority for everything, including guaranteed seats in Economy or Business Class. They can use First Class check-in and lounges and bring two guests to lounges.

Members also earn "Asia Miles" which can be used for travel rewards.

Inside the Plane: Comfort and Fun

A First Class seat on board a Boeing 777-300ER.

Cathay Pacific offers different travel classes:

• First Class: Available on some Boeing 777-300ER planes. Seats are very spacious and turn into fully flat beds. They have massage functions and large personal TVs.
• Business Class: Available on all international flights. Seats are arranged so everyone has direct aisle access and turn into fully flat beds. They have personal TVs and storage space.
• Regional Business Class: On shorter flights, these seats are wide and recline well, with personal TVs.
• Premium Economy: This class offers more space than Economy. Seats have more legroom, are wider, and recline more. They also have larger personal TVs and power outlets.
• Economy Class: Cathay Pacific has different types of Economy Class seats depending on the plane. Newer designs feature comfortable seats with touch screens, USB ports, and improved entertainment systems.

A fruit and cheese course served in First Class.

On all flights, food and drinks are free. For long flights, two hot meals are usually served. Cathay Pacific also provides an in-flight entertainment system called StudioCX. It offers movies, TV shows, music, games, and even live TV on some planes.

Keeping Everyone Safe

Cathay Pacific has had a few incidents in its history, but none have caused a total loss of the aircraft or passenger deaths since 1972. The airline is known for its good safety record and is considered one of the safest airlines in the world.

Some notable past incidents include:

• In 1948, a plane called Miss Macao was hijacked and crashed, leading to deaths. This was the first hijacking of a commercial plane.
• In 1954, a plane was accidentally shot down by military aircraft, causing deaths. Cathay Pacific later received an apology and compensation.
• In 1972, a bomb exploded on Cathay Pacific Flight 700Z, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone on board.
• In 2010, Cathay Pacific Flight 780 had both engines fail due to contaminated fuel, but the pilots managed to land the plane safely, saving everyone on board. They even received an award for their amazing piloting skills.

Images for kids

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  A Douglas DC-3 named Betsy, Cathay Pacific's first aircraft, in the Hong Kong Science Museum

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  Niki, a DC-3 painted to look like the airline's second aircraft, outside Cathay City

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  A Cathay Pacific Convair 880, used from 1964 to 1974.

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  A Lockheed L-1011 TriStar at Osaka International Airport in 1972–1994 colors.

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  A Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

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  A Dragonair Airbus A320-200.

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  A Cathay Pacific Boeing 747–400 at Singapore Changi Airport.

• Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPV)@HKG;04.08.2011 615na (6207903218).jpg

  A Boeing 777-300ER in the 1994–2015 livery landing at Hong Kong International Airport.

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  A Boeing 747-200F in the 1994–2015 livery at Manchester Aviation Viewing Park.

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  A Boeing 777-300ER in the current 2015 livery taking off from Zurich Airport.

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  Self-check-in kiosks at Chek Lap Kok Airport.

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  Business Class cabin on board an Airbus A330-300.

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  New Premium Economy seats on the Airbus A350-900 XWB.

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  Economy Class cabin on an Airbus A350-900.

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  Economy class on an Airbus A321neo.

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  A starter served in Cathay Pacific's Business Class.

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  B-HLL, the Airbus A330 involved in the Flight 780 Incident.

See also

In Spanish: Cathay Pacific para niños

• List of airlines of Hong Kong
• List of airports in Hong Kong
• List of companies of Hong Kong
• Macau Air Transport Company – subsidiary from 1948 to 1961
• Transport in Hong Kong