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Cathay Pacific (IATA code: CX) is a Hong Kong airline headquartered at Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok. Today, Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary serve commercial flights and cargo shipments to 180 destinations in 44 countries around the world. Cathay Pacific is one of the co-founders of the oneworld® airlines alliance. The airline is also a part of the Swire Group, hence adopting the same motto, “Esse Quam Videri” which means “to be, rather than seem to be”. The airline aspire to master everything that the company can do, which includes guaranteeing the safety and security of its passengers and crew, contributing to the life of the people living in their destination countries, and in continuously improving its performance. Since its establishment on 24 September 1946, the airline has attained many achievements. For example, in 2014, Cathay Pacific was awarded the Airline of the Year title by Skytrax. Still, one of the airline’s most prestigious achievements was its non-stop transpolar flight across the North Pole in July 1998. In 2010, Cathay Pacific had also become the biggest international cargo service in the world, making Hong Kong International Airport—its headquarter—the airport in the world with the busiest cargo traffic. Cathay Pacific has four flight classes: First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy Class, and Economy Class. Every single flight class has its own specialty, such as in-flight entertainment in the form of songs and films, which can be enjoyed through the personal screen in front of each seat. Passengers are also served with delicious in-flight meals. Every passenger is allowed a cabin baggage and a checked baggage, but the maximum weight for every flight class is different. Economy Class passengers are allowed a free cabin baggage of up to 7 kg and a free checked baggage of up to 30 kg. Premium Economy Class passengers are allowed a free cabin baggage of up to 7 kg and a free checked baggage of up to 35 kg. Business Class passengers, on the other hand, get a free cabin baggage allowance of up to 10 kg and a free checked baggage allowance of up to 40 kg. First Class passengers are welcomed to bring up to 15 kg of cabin baggage and 40 kg of checked baggage. Cathay Pacific also offers a frequent flyer program known as Marco Polo Club. The program is divided into four tiers of membership, consisting of Green, Silver, Gold, and Diamond which are given based on the passengers’ traveling frequency. A variety of benefits can be obtained by enrolling in this program. The first advantage is the ability to check-in from special counters exclusive to Marco Polo Club members. Second, Marco Polo Club members also get additional baggage allowance and are prioritized during flight booking. Next, Marco Polo Club members are entitled to special points based on their mileage with Cathay Pacific or other oneworld® alliance members. The points then can be redeemed for various perks, from an access to Cathay Pacific’s airport lounges to free flight tickets. Cathay Pacific passengers are advised to check-in at the airport counter no later than 50 minutes prior to departure time. Cathay Pacific also provides self-check-in kiosks, which are currently available in Hong Kong International Airport. Passengers can also use the online check-in facility at the official Cathay Pacific website, available from 48 hours to 50 minutes before departure. During check-in, passengers can ask to change seats. Passengers with Marco Polo Club membership, specifically passengers with a Silver membership and above, can change their seat up to three times.

Cathay Pacific was founded by Australian Sydney de Kantzow and American Roy Farrell in January 1946. Both were former military pilots who frequently flew across the Himalaya Mountain. Farrell bought the first Cathay Pacific aircraft in New York on 6 October 1945. It was a Douglas DC-3 named Betsy. The aircraft is currently on display at the Hong Kong Science Museum. The first commercial Cathay Pacific flight delivered clothing from Sydney to Shanghai. However, Cathay Pacific had a rocky start. Since its establishment, Cathay Pacific had always been banned by the authorities in Shanghai, which prompted its move to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, Farrell and de Kantzow registered their business on 24 September 1946 under the name Cathay Pacific. “Cathay” was chosen because it is the ancient name of China, while “Pacific” came from Farrell’s speculation that someday the airline could fly across the Pacific Ocean (which became a reality in 1970s). In 1948, Butterfield & Swire (known today as the Swire Group) bought 45% of Cathay Pacific shares. Later on, the Australian National Airways acquired a 35% stake, while Farrell and de Kantzow took the remaining 10%. Currently, the airline is under the ownership of the Swire Group. At the end of 1940s, the Hong Kong Government split the aviation market between Cathay Pacific and the only local competitor, Hong Kong Airways. Cathay Pacific was assigned to serve the southern routes (Southeast Asia and Australia), while Hong Kong Airways the northern routes (China, Korea, and Japan). However, due to the independence of the People's Republic of China and the Korean War, the northern route eventually became very limited. Therefore in 1959, Cathay Pacific acquired the Hong Kong Airways, making it the dominant airline in Hong Kong. In January 1990, Cathay Pacific acquired a majority stake of Dragonair, which later changed its name to Cathay Dragon in 2016. On 21 September 1998, Cathay Pacific joined forces with American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, and Qantas to form oneworld® airline alliance. Until now, oneworld® alliance has had 15 airline members.