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Born with a purpose
In 1946, Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow – two ex-Air Force pilots known for flying ‘The Hump’ over the Himalayas – had the idea to fly much-needed goods from Australia into post-war China. From there came Cathay Pacific, an airline fuelled by its founders' passion for flying and love of the region. In fact, our very name originates from Roy Farrell’s sense of ambition – that the new airline would one day cross the vast Pacific Ocean from China. This progressive thinking and optimism for the future was proven right less than thirty years later with our first transpacific flight.
1946: The first freight service from Australia to China leads to the creation of Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong. 1960: The first international airline to fly to Osaka.
Ambition and innovation are at the heart of the Cathay Pacific story. Our founders, Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow, had a passion for flying and a love of the region that led to our creation.
This still fuels us today. We challenge ourselves to move past previous achievements, to be the best we can be. We want to be better at serving you and pre-empting your needs – to be more reliable, more personal, more thoughtful and ultimately, more valuable to you.
We’re here to help you arrive ready to make the most of what lies ahead. PRIORITISING YOUR WELLNESS
We put thought and care into every one of your journeys, so you feel at your best when you arrive.