Cathay Pacific’s journey from single post-war plane to aviation powerhouse – SCMP archive

Eighty years ago, former World War II pilots Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow registered Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong. Operations began with a single, converted Douglas DC-3 nicknamed “Betsy” which initially flew much-needed goods between Australia and post-war Shanghai. Today, the airline operates a fleet of 180 aircraft and, together with its budget arm HK Express, transported 37 million