Cathay Pacific has gone from strength to strength since its foundation in 1946. In 1964 the airline carried its one-millionth passenger. Today it carries over a million passengers every month. By the year 2006, Cathay Pacific will have a fleet of more than 100 wide-bodied aircraft serving Hong Kong day and night.
Cathay Pacific was named “Airline of The Year” in 2003, distinguishing itself from other airlines with its unique “Service Straight from the Heart.” The airline has one of the highest load factors among full-service carriers. Cathay Pacific is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. Together with its member airlines, oneworld offers passengers flights to more than 570 destinations worldwide.
Cathay Pacific Airways was founded in 1946 by two former World War II pilots who began operating on a charter basis using two war surplus DC3 ‘Dakotas’ flying between Hong Kong, Shanghai and Macao. In 1948, Swire acquire a management stake in the airline.
In 1959, Cathay Pacific was already flying to Japan, Taiwan and Australia; the airline acquired its first jet aircraft, the Convair 880M in 1962 and continued to build its regional route network. In 1970, the decision was taken to re-equip the fleet with Rolls-Royce powered Boeing aircraft, opening the way for long-haul flights and setting the airline on course for services to the Middle East in 1976, London in 1980, and Vancouver in 1983.
The airline's expansion and modernization continued through the 1990s, as Cathay