Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. (CPA), more widely known as Cathay Pacific (Chinese: 國泰航空; Jyutping: gwok3 taai3 hong4 hung1), is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline's operations and subsidiaries have scheduled passenger and cargo services to more than 190 destinations in more than 60 countries worldwide including codeshares and joint ventures. Cathay Pacific operates a fleet consisting of Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330, Airbus A350, and Boeing 777 aircraft. Cathay Pacific Cargo operates two models of the Boeing 747. Defunct wholly owned subsidiary airline Cathay Dragon, which ceased operations in 2020, previously flew to 44 destinations in the Asia-Pacific region from its Hong Kong base. In 2010, Cathay Pacific and Cathay Pacific Cargo, together with Dragonair (then Cathay Dragon), carried nearly 27 million passengers and over 1.8 million tons of cargo and mail.
The airline was founded on 24 September 1946 by Australian Sydney H. de Kantzow and American Roy C. Farrell. The airline celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2016; and as of March 2021, its major shareholders are Swire Pacific, with a 42.3% stake and Air China, with a 28.2% stake.
Cathay Pacific is the world's fifth largest airline measured by sales, and fourteenth largest measured by market capitalisation. In 2010, Cathay Pacific became the world's largest international cargo airline, along with main hub Hong Kong International Airport as the world's busiest airport measured by cargo traffic. The company slogan is Move beyond.It is one of the founding members of the Oneworld alliance.
1946Sep, 24
Cathay Pacific Airways is founded in Hong Kong.
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Events on 1946
- 11Mar
Auschwitz concentration camp
Rudolf Höss, the first commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp, is captured by British troops. - 2Sep
Jawaharlal Nehru
The Interim Government of India is formed, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru as Vice President with the powers of a Prime Minister. - 8Sep
Bulgaria
A 95.6% vote in favor of abolishing the monarchy in Bulgaria. - 23Oct
Flushing, Queens
The United Nations General Assembly convenes for the first time, at an auditorium in Flushing, Queens, New York City. - 19Nov
Iceland
Afghanistan, Iceland and Sweden join the United Nations.