Cathay Pacific Airways Wallpapers

<b>Cathay Pacific Airways - photo wallpapers: </b> Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (Traditional Chinese: 國泰航空有限公司, Simplified Chinese: 国泰航空有限公司, pinyin: Guótài Hángkōng Yŏuxiàn Gōngsī; abbreviation: 國泰/国泰) (SEHK: 0293) is an Asian commercial airline based in Hong Kong and operating scheduled passenger and cargo services to 102 destinations world-wide. Its main base is Hong Kong International Airport. It is one of the four airlines to carry a "five star" rating from Skytrax. Cathay Pacific Airways was founded in Shanghai, China on September 24, 1946 by American Roy Farrell and Australian Sydney de Kantzow, [br]both ex-air force, who each put up HK$1 to register the airline. [br]According to legend, the airline was conceived by Farrell and some [br]foreign correspondents at the bar of the Manila Hotel. [br]They named it "Cathay" since it was an ancient name given to China, and [br]"Pacific" because they believed that they would one day fly across the [br]Pacific to the US. On Cathay Pacific's maiden voyage, Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow flew from Hong Kong to Manila, and later on to Shanghai. They had a single Douglas C-47. The company initially flew routes between Hong Kong, Sydney, Manila, Singapore, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, while scheduled service was limited to Manila, Singapore and Bangkok only. In 1948 Butterfield & Swire bought 45% of Cathay Pacific, with Australian National Airways taking 35% and Farrell and de Kantzow taking 10% each. The new company began operations on 1 July 1948 and was registered as Cathay Pacific Airways (1948) Ltd on 18 October 1948. Swire later acquired 52% of Cathay Pacific and today the airline still is part of the Swire Group through Swire Pacific. The airline prospered into the 1960s, buying rival Hong Kong Airways in 1959, recording double digit growth until 1967, acquiring its first jet engined aircraft (Convair 880), and beginning international routes to airports in Japan. [br]By 1966 the airline had carried a million passengers. Expansion [br]continued throughout the 1970s and especially into the 1980s, when an [br]industry-wide boom encouraged route growth to many European [br]centres and when Cathay Pacific went public in 1986. In January 1990, [br]Cathay Pacific and its parent company, Swire Pacific, acquired a [br]significant shareholding in Dragonair, and a 60% stake in cargo airline Air Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific was hurt by the Asian recession of the late 1990s, undergoing a reorganization and developing a new identity. In 1996 the Chinese CITIC bought a 25% stake in Cathay Pacific. The Swire Group [br]holding was reduced to 44% as two other Chinese companies, CNAC and CTS [br]also bought substantial holdings. In September 1998 Cathay Pacific [br]became a founding member of the Oneworld alliance.  In 2004 the airline had a turnover of HK$ [br]39,065 million and made a profit of HK$ 4,417 million. On June 9, 2006, [br]Cathay Pacific underwent a shareholding realignment under which [br]Dragonair would be wholly owned by Cathay Pacific but continue to [br]operate under its own brand, Air China, and its subsidiary CNAC [br]Limited, would acquire a 17.5% stake in Cathay Pacific, and Cathay [br]Pacific would double its shareholding in Air China to 20%. CITIC would [br]reduce its shareholding to 17.5%, and Swire would reduce its [br]shareholding to 40%. In 2006 the airline celebrated its 60th anniversary, holding a year [br]of roadshows named the "Cathay Pacific 60th Anniversary Skyshow" where [br]the public could see the developments of the airline through the last [br]60 years, play games, meet some of the airline's staff and view vintage [br]uniforms. Cathay Pacific also introduced 60th anniversary merchandise [br]and inflight meals served by famous restaurants in Hong Kong in [br]collaboration with the celebrations.

Cathay Pacific Airways Gallery:

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Cathay Pacific Airways Wallpapers @ Mega Wallpapers (08 Edition)
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