Airlines

Discover the Fascinating History of Cathay Dragon - Asia-Pacific's Second-Oldest Airline





Cathay Dragon, formerly known as Dragonair, is an airline based in Hong Kong and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific. It operates flights to more than 40 destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, including mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam. The airline was founded in 1985 and is the second-oldest airline in the world.

The airline's fleet is composed of Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft, with most of its planes being leased from Cathay Pacific. The Airbus A330 is used for long-haul flights, and the A320 is used for short-haul flights. The airline also operates a Boeing 777-300ER, which is used for long-haul flights.

The airline has had a long and interesting history since its founding. Here are some of the most important milestones throughout the airline's history:

1. In 1991, Dragonair was the first airline to fly the Airbus A320 in the Asia-Pacific region. The airline operated its first long-haul flight to London in 1993.





2. In 1998, Dragonair became the first airline to establish a hub in mainland China. It established its headquarters in Beijing, and it began operating flights to cities throughout the region.

3. In 2006, Dragonair entered into a codeshare agreement with American Airlines. This allowed the airline to offer more services to the United States.

4. In 2010, the airline changed its name from Dragonair to Cathay Dragon. This was done to better align the airline with its parent company, Cathay Pacific.

5. In 2011, Cathay Dragon launched its first low-cost service, which operated short-haul flights to cities throughout Asia.





Throughout its history, Cathay Dragon has had a few incidents involving its aircraft. In 2006, a Dragonair Airbus A320 experienced a stall while en route to Beijing, resulting in the aircraft making an emergency landing. The incident was investigated by the Civil Aviation Department of China and it was determined that the cause of the incident was pilot error.

In 2016, a Cathay Dragon Airbus A330 experienced a mechanical issue while on approach to Shanghai, which resulted in the aircraft making an emergency landing. The aircraft was forced to land at an alternate airport, but the cause of the incident was not determined.

In 2017, the airline was involved in a federal investigation after it was accused of price fixing by the US Department of Justice. The airline was found to have colluded with other airlines to fix the prices of certain cargo shipments. The investigation resulted in the airline paying a large fine, but no criminal charges were brought against it.

Overall, Cathay Dragon has had a long and interesting history since its inception in 1985. From its humble beginnings operating short-haul flights to its current status as a major player in the Asia-Pacific region, the airline has come a long way. The airline has also experienced its share of incidents, but it has persevered and continues to be a successful and reliable airline.