Cathay Pacific Marks 40 Years Since First Touching Down In YVR

Cathay Pacific has marked a milestone in the Americas and in its history as one of the world's leading airlines: 40 years ago today, Cathay Pacific flight CX800, operated with a Boeing 747-200, departed Hong Kong to touch down in Vancouver for the first time.

The launch of this nonstop service between Hong Kong and YVR not only represented the airline's first entry into North America, but it also saw CX become the first airline in the world to connect the two cities with a nonstop service.

The service marked Cathay Pacific's entry into what is now one of the airline's biggest markets outside of Hong Kong, the city it has called home since its founding by American Roy C. Farrell and Australian Sydney H. de Kantzow in 1946.

Ground-breaking at the time, the service began with two flights per week in each direction and the first nonstop option reduced the total journey by more than two hours versus the previously established route via Japan.

Cathay Pacific opened its first ticket office on March 16, 1983, at 1018 West Georgia Street, in the heart of Vancouver's "airline row." Initially, CX employed 26 in sales, marketing and reservations. Today, the airline employs close to 300 employees throughout Canada Mexico and the U.S.

In 1986, Cathay Pacific added a San Francisco (SFO) tag to its Vancouver service -- with flights departing SFO, stopping in YVR before continuing to Hong Kong. Further expansion continued over the years, with Cathay Pacific launching services to Hong Kong from Los Angeles (1990), Toronto (1994), a standalone SFO flight in 1998, New York (JFK) in 2004, Chicago O'Hare (2011), Newark (2013), Boston (2015), Washington Dulles (2018), and Seattle (2019).

Cathay Pacific's JFK-YVR-HKG flight - popular with aviation geeks and passengers alike for the opportunity to hop between JFK-YVR on a global carrier -- was added in 1996, before its discontinuation in 2019.

Cathay Pacific also has a large cargo business in the Americas. Cathay Cargo now operates in 16 cities across three North American countries, shipping an average of 160 million kilos of freight annually.

Chris van den Hooven, SVP, Americas, will celebrate his 36-year anniversary with Cathay Pacific this year. He launched his career with the airline as a Reservation Sales Agent in Vancouver.

"As a young adventurer with ambitions of seeing the world, I jumped at the chance to join an up-and-coming Asian airline in 1987 during a pivotal time in its expansion. As we reflect on 40 years in the Americas, we are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers, our dedicated staff, industry partners, our Hong Kong family, and the communities that have welcomed us with open arms and who continue to support us."

Michael Lim, Director, Canada, Central & South Americas, Hong Kong Tourism Board, also congratulated Cathay Pacific on the milestone.

"Hong Kong has long served as a vital gateway to the broader Asia region, and Cathay Pacific not only brings people to Hong Kong but to the rest of Asia. The recent launch of the Hello Hong Kong campaign and the lifting of travel restrictions have fueled travellers' interest in Hong Kong, and we are confident their vacation begins on a high note with Cathay Pacific's award-winning service," Lim said.

Cathay Pacific's 40-year anniversary in the Americas comes as the airline puts a focus on rebuilding its network and connectivity at its Hong Kong hub after three challenging years of pandemic reductions.

CX currently operates over 50 flights per week out of North America from six cities (Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver) -- nearly half of its pre-pandemic capacity in the Americas -- with more flights added every month.

This year will also see the reopening of Cathay Pacific's airport lounges at San Francisco and Vancouver; and the airline will take delivery of two Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.

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