Cathay Pacific Airlines History

American who have not traveled to Asia may not have heard of Cathay Pacific Airlines, but the company has a long, rich history and is still going strong. Based in Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific and its partners offer flights to and from major cities throughout the United States as well as Asia and Europe. The word Cathay refers to the name for China dating back to the times of Marco Polo in the 13th century. Cathay Pacific Airlines kept history alive by naming its frequent flyer miles loyalty program the Marco Polo Club.

Founders

The founders of Cathay Pacific Airlines were two members of the China National Aviation Company (CNAC), Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow. Farrell (1914-1996) was an American pilot and entrepreneur who recognized the need for supplies in Asia after World War II. Farrell's export company began hauling cargo back and forth between China and Australia, allowing him to meet the future cofounder of Cathay Pacific, Sydney de Kantzow. de Kantzow (1914-1957) was an Australian citizen who was based out of Hong Kong and had received Burma Star citations for his work dropping relief goods during the war. The two men met and founded Cathay Pacific Airlines in September of 1946.

Early Routes

The early days of Cathay Pacific included routes between major Asian cities such as Singapore, Shanghai and the capital cities of Thailand (Bangkok) and the Philippines (Manila). Rather than transporting cargo as the founders did in their youth, the airline's focus was on passengers. Business was booming into the 1960s, when Cathay Pacific introduced more flights for passengers across Asia, including several points in Japan.

Expansion

The 1970s brought new technologies such as the 747, and allowed Cathay Pacific to expand into uncharted waters. London was the first European city served by Cathay Pacific, with more cities added to the map throughout the 1970s and 1980s. At this time, the airline began to add flights to North America, including San Francisco, California and Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. The company reports that by the early 1970s, it had expanded enough to be able to cater to a million people every year--a number that has grown exponentially since that time.

Partnerships

Not wanting to let the setbacks to the airline industry that were caused by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks adversely affect their business, Cathay Pacific's expanded through several partnerships. The year 2002 saw Cathay Pacific and shipping magnate DHL join forces and become partners with Air Hong Kong, and they began operating cargo flights together. 2006 saw more additions, including a relationship beginning between Cathay Pacific and Air China, and the acquisition of Dragonair. Dragonair's partnership with Cathay Pacific means that their airlines fly to more than 20 cities throughout China.

Keeping Current

Modernization is a concern with a fleet of close to 200 planes operated by Cathay Pacific and its partners. Cathay Pacific makes an effort to upgrade and add each new generation of Boeing 747 to its fleet as an attempt to streamline its cargo business. Passenger flight services are being improved as well, with the introduction of e-services and e-ticketing. As a result of these changes, Cathay Pacific has won a variety of awards and distinctions, including "Air Transport" magazine's Airline of the Year in 2006.