ISABEL GARCIA
Updated Monday, February 19, 2024-01:39
Album A journey underground through the most beautiful (and surprising) subways in the world
Experiences From around the world to cruises for singles or 'Star Wars' fans: these are the best cruises
They lost their jobs after
World War II
, so our protagonists,
two pilots
famous for flying over
The Hump,
the eastern part of the Himalayas, the highest mountain on Earth (8,850 meters above sea level), during the war , they had to manage to get ahead. As? Transporting
essential goods
from Australia to China, territories they knew well from having traveled through them between battles. It was the business that the American Roy Farrell and the Australian Sydney de Kantzow started in 1946.
To do this, they bought a plane,
a Douglas DC-3
, which they named
Betsy
. The company's name, Cathay Pacific, also explains it: Farrell's dream was that, one day, his planes would cross the entire vast Pacific Ocean
from China.
And they achieved it over time. Meanwhile, they went from Hong Kong, the company's birthplace, to Manila, Beijing or New Delhi. Thus, one of the most important and awarded airlines in the world was born when it held
eighth place
in the ranking (and has come to occupy first several times) in the World Airline Awards, promoted each year by the British consultancy Skytrax, in charge of the
qualification. of air transport
at an international level.
Cathay Pacific Business Class seats.
Almost 80 years later, Cathay Pacific remains Hong Kong's flag carrier, to the point of being one of the companies most identified with this
"special administrative region"
of China dependent on Great Britain for more than 150 years (from 1841 to 1997).
In addition, it belongs to one of the most powerful emporiums in Hong Kong (and throughout Asia),
Swire,
owner of real estate, shopping centers, cargo shipping companies, food industries, the Coca-Cola franchise in part of Asia and the United States and luxury hotels such as
The Upper House,
an urban oasis in the former British colony considered number one in it and fourth in the world.
The 'skyline' of Hong Kong.
Such is its relevance in the metropolis that Swire has its own museum in the
Quarry Bay neighborhood, where its
Archives Center
is located
in a historic building, which compiles not only the history of the group, but of Hong Kong through more of 1,200 physical items (and one million digital files). Among them, there are collector's items (such as an
original plane ticket from 1949
or iconic uniforms), interactive games and old images such as those of that first flight of the legendary
Betsy
with only 27 people on board or of the
business class
occupants in the 70's.
The slogans used by the company over the years are also reviewed. From
"connecting the world and its people"
coined by Farrell in his early days to
We know you'll
like us from the late 70s.
Onboard entertainment.
And the jewel in Swire's crown is Cathay Pacific, which this year adds a new award: the
entertainment offer on board
its planes is the best on the planet, ahead of that of Emirates or Qatar Airways, according to
the classification from Skytrax
, which surveys millions of passengers in more than 100 countries about their satisfaction with 325 airlines around the world. Among the areas analyzed ,
customer service
, cabin comfort, quality of food and drink, efficiency, punctuality and the aforementioned leisure stand out.
This last point examines the selection, quantity and quality of your onboard systems, focusing on the available movies,
television shows, music and games
or Wi-Fi functionality. Cathay Pacific offers more than 1,000 titles that are renewed every month: from the
latest Hollywood releases
to Asian or European films, as well as Disney+ films, HBO Max compilations, channels such as BBC, TVB or Sport 24 for sports fans , television shows,
interviews with actors and film directors
, albums, podcasts and games.
The Business seat is 100% reclining.
In this sense, Lavinia Lau, commercial and customer service director of the airline, is proud of the award, "since for us it is very important to offer each passenger
content and experiences
that make them enjoy and value their flight even more." . Not in vain, it is the first airline to have
4K ultra-high resolution screens,
as well as Bluetooth audio
streaming
, available on all A321neo aircraft.
The Business class of its
Airbus A350,
considered the quietest and most environmentally friendly fleet, is also in the
top ten
worldwide for privacy, quality of service, feeling of spaciousness and exclusivity. And for details such as
the design of its seats
, the same as that of
Porsches,
which guarantees ideal ergonomics and that they can recline until they become a
completely horizontal bed.
In addition, they are made with handmade covers in aquamarine blue in collaboration with the famous fabric manufacturer Rohi. Another car brand, Rolls Royce, provides propulsion with the highly efficient Trent XWB engines.
Duddell's Restaurant Dishes.
Gastronomy
is a chapter apart with agreements with some of the most famous restaurants in Hong Kong (and Asia) such as
Duddell
's
(Cantonese haute cuisine with a Michelin star) and
Veda by Ovolo
(a vegetarian with
premium
Indian overtones led by
chef Spanish Raúl Tronco
). The tableware has been designed exclusively by the Noritake brand, which produces the highest quality Japanese porcelain on the market.
The selection of
premium
wines and spirits is endless and Primera passengers will also be able to try the
Betsy Beer craft beer,
created
ad hoc
to be savored in all its fullness at 10,600 meters above sea level. Not in vain, it is designed to keep the properties intact despite
the pressure and altitude of the cabin
, since when flying the sense of taste changes. The name of the beer honors that first plane of the company, donated, by the way, to the Museum of Science and Technology in Hong Kong, where it can still be seen.
Relaxation area in the company's VIP room.
Can you ask for more? That it has
direct flights from Spain,
which it has. From Madrid and, starting June 17, from Barcelona, with three weekly frequencies on both routes. Journey duration: 14 hours.
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