Cathay Pacific
Hong Kong SAR of China · CATHAY · Active
Airline Identity
History
Cathay Pacific was founded on 24 September 1946 by Australian Sydney de Kantzow and American Roy Farrell; the Swire Group became its majority shareholder in 1948. It became a founding member of the oneworld alliance in 1998 and acquired regional carrier Dragonair (later rebranded Cathay Dragon) in 2006, though Cathay Dragon ceased operations in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also forced a HK$39 billion government-backed recapitalization in 2020 to keep the airline solvent.
Current Operations
Cathay Pacific operates a long-haul and regional network from its Hong Kong International Airport hub to roughly 80-plus destinations, with a fleet centered on Airbus A321neo, A330, and A350 aircraft plus Boeing 777s (and 747 freighters for its cargo division). Ownership is shared among Swire Pacific (largest shareholder), Air China, Qatar Airways, and the Hong Kong government. The airline has been rebuilding capacity since the pandemic, adding routes such as Munich, Brussels, Dallas, Rome and Hyderabad, and was rated a 5-star carrier by Skytrax in 2025.
Last verified 2026-08-22· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.
Country of Registration
Country data not available.