Cathay Pacific

In October 1945, Roy Farrell purchased Cathay Pacific's first aircraft, a refurbished C47 named 'Betsy', for US$30,000. The aircraft was converted to a civilian DC3 and certified for airworthiness.

Cathay Pacific Airways was founded on 24 September 1946 by American Roy C Farrell and Australian Sydney H de Kantzow. The airline, initially based in Shanghai, later moved to Hong Kong and became a prominent international carrier.

On 16 July 1948, the Cathay Pacific-subsidiary-operated Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina was hijacked by four men, resulting in the first hijacking of a commercial airliner in the world. The aircraft crashed in the Pearl River Delta near Zhuhai, killing 26 people and leaving only one survivor, a hijacker.

A Cathay Pacific Douglas C-54 Skymaster flying from Bangkok to Hong Kong was shot down by aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force near Hainan Island in the South China Sea on 23 July 1954. The incident resulted in ten casualties and nine survivors. The airline received an apology and compensation from the People's Liberation Army Air Force as the aircraft was mistaken for a Nationalist Chinese military plane.

In 1958, Cathay Pacific purchased its first brand-new aircraft directly from the manufacturer, a DC6B, marking a milestone in the airline's fleet expansion.

In the first half of 1970, Cathay Pacific introduced computer technology by using a flight simulator for training Convair flight deck crew, marking the airline's entry into the computer age.

On June 15, 1972, Cathay Pacific Flight 700Z, a Convair 880 aircraft, disintegrated and crashed over Pleiku, Vietnam after a bomb exploded in a suitcase onboard, resulting in the tragic deaths of all 81 individuals on board. This incident marked the last total hull-loss and passenger fatalities for Cathay Pacific.

In 1973, Cathay Pacific achieved a significant milestone by carrying one million passengers in less than a single year, marking a rapid growth compared to the previous years.

After extensive research, testing, and discussion, Cathay Pacific chose the Lockheed 11011 TriStar for their short- and medium-haul operations. Two new aircraft were ordered from Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, with the first delivery taking place in 1975.

Cathay Pacific made a significant advancement by introducing a service to London, solidifying its position as a top international carrier. The inaugural flight took place on July 16, 1980, following intense negotiations for traffic rights that had to be settled at the ministerial level in the British Government.

In 1985, Cathay Pacific introduced its tenth B747, which was the first B747-300 with the extended upper deck. This aircraft was considered the largest commercial passenger aircraft in the world at that time.

In 1987, Cathay Pacific conducted a share offer that shattered local records, attracting HK$51 billion in applications. The public portion of the share offer was oversubscribed 55 times, with a significant percentage of shares now owned by Hong Kong residents, businesses, and institutions.

The book 'Beyond Lion Rock' was published in 1988. It narrates the story of the founders of Cathay Pacific and how they established the airline.

In June 1989, Cathay Pacific made history by being the first airline to receive the Boeing 747-400 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce's innovative RB211-524G engine, which was specifically designed for this aircraft model.

In October 1989, Cathay Pacific ordered the first Rolls-Royce-powered B747-400 freighter aircraft, marking a significant milestone in the airline's fleet expansion.

In July 1990, Cathay Pacific launched the first-ever scheduled non-stop service between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, which was one of the longest such flights in the world. This service was in conjunction with American Airlines.

In 1991, Cathay Pacific expanded its non-stop routes to Europe using the extended range of the Boeing 747-400. This expansion included new services to London Heathrow, Zurich, and Amsterdam, solidifying the airline's role as a crucial link between Asia and Europe.

Cathay Pacific and Rolls-Royce have established a successful partnership, with the airline advocating for performance enhancements and the engine manufacturer continuously striving to exceed expectations, solidifying Rolls-Royce's integral role in Cathay Pacific's operations.

Cathay Pacific had orders and options for a total of 24 B747-400s, with deliveries scheduled up to 1997.

Cathay Pacific received the first delivery of the Boeing 777-300 on May 21, 1998, as part of its fleet replacement program costing US$9 billion.

Cathay Pacific operated its final flight from Kai Tak International Airport to London Heathrow Airport, marking the end of over 73 years of operations at the former airport.

Cathay Pacific commenced flights from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport to the new Hong Kong-Chek Lap Kok International Airport, initiating the world's first nonstop transpolar flight from New York to Hong Kong.

The next day, on July 7, 1998, Cathay Pacific initiated flights from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport to the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, marking the world's first nonstop transpolar flight from New York to Hong Kong.

On September 21, 1998, Cathay Pacific, along with American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, and Qantas, co-founded the Oneworld airline alliance.

In the middle of 1999, Cathay Pacific completed the construction of Cathay Pacific City, its headquarters located at Hong Kong International Airport. This new complex symbolized the airline's confidence in the future of Hong Kong and marked a new era for the company.

Cathay Pacific was recognized as the World's Best Airline by Skytrax in 2003, a prestigious accolade that the airline received multiple times. The award highlighted the airline's exceptional in-flight services and overall passenger experience.

On 28 September 2006, Cathay Pacific underwent a shareholding realignment, acquiring Dragonair as a wholly owned subsidiary. This acquisition provided Cathay Pacific with more access to the Mainland China market and opportunities for resource sharing. Following the acquisition, Dragonair's proposed expansion plans were adjusted to align with Cathay Pacific's network, resulting in termination of some services and staff redundancies.

In 2007, Cathay Pacific introduced new methods for passengers to check in for flights, including self-check-in using kiosks at airports and checking in via a mobile phone. They also launched a mobile application called CX Mobile, allowing passengers to check flight details, check in, and explore destination guides.

In 2010, Tony Tyler resigned from his position as the CEO of Cathay Pacific. He was succeeded by John Slosar.

Cathay Pacific Flight 780, an Airbus A330-342, experienced engine failure due to contaminated fuel on April 13, 2010, during a flight from Surabaya to Hong Kong. Despite the challenging situation, the aircraft landed safely, with 57 passengers sustaining injuries during the evacuation. The pilots were later honored for their bravery and skill.

On January 4, 2011, Cathay Pacific Cargo became the first airline in Hong Kong to fully transition to e-air waybill, eliminating the need for paper documents when issuing air waybills. This move was part of the IATA e-AWB pilot program.

The Cathay Pacific Cargo terminal opened in December 2012 and is considered best-in-class, serving as a model for other terminals worldwide.

CX and QF are in a dispute over the setup of Jetstar Hong Kong. CX insists that approval should only be given if the management is based in Hong Kong, while QF argues that CX's part owner Swire and Air China are not based in Hong Kong either.

The book Beyond Lion Rock discusses the creation of Cathay Pacific by its founders, providing insights into the airline's origins.

In 2014, Cathay Pacific was awarded the Skytrax Best Airline award for the fourth time, becoming the first airline to achieve this milestone in aviation history.

Cathay Pacific decided to reintroduce fuel surcharge on many flights due to a significant drop in net profits and a loss from wrong bets on fuel prices.

On October 8, 2016, Cathay Pacific bid farewell to their final passenger Boeing 747 with a special scenic flight around Hong Kong. The aircraft had served for over 35 years since August 1979.

On 27 March 2019, Cathay Pacific announced the acquisition of HK Express, the only low-cost carrier in Hong Kong, for HK$4.93 billion.

Cathay Pacific, Swire Pacific, and Air China halted stock trading pending an announcement, which led to a HK$39 billion recapitalisation plan and rescue package jointly announced by Cathay Pacific and the Government of Hong Kong.

On June 10, 2020, Cathay Pacific and the Government of Hong Kong jointly announced a HK$39 billion recapitalization plan and rescue package for the airline.

On October 21, 2020, Cathay Pacific announced the shutdown of all operations of Cathay Dragon and its merger with the parent company due to economic challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.