Cathay City
| Company type | Headquarters complex |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline headquarters |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Headquarters | Chek Lap Kok , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong International Airport |
| Products | Office space, training centre, staff hotel, museum |
| Owner | Cathay Pacific |
Cathay Pacific City (), commonly referred to as Cathay City, functions as the main headquarters for Cathay Pacific, the flagship airline of Hong Kong. It is located on the southern side of Hong Kong International Airport.
History
Cathay Pacific established Cathay Pacific City to centralize its key operational functions within a single site.
Originally, the project was estimated to cost HK$3.5 billion (equivalent to US$452.8 million in 1995) and intended to provide roughly of office space on of land. In 1995, the Provisional Airport Authority granted Cathay Pacific a lease for this location.
The headquarters officially commenced operations in 1998, marked by a topping out ceremony on 17 February of that year. Construction advanced in stages from April through September 1998, coinciding with the inauguration of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok. The design capacity was for more than 3,000 staff members, with initial departments operational by July and complete relocation finalized during the latter months of 1998.
Before moving to this site, Cathay Pacific’s main offices were housed in Swire House in Central, Hong Kong—a building named after its parent company, the Swire Group. The architectural firm Llewelyn-Davies led the design process starting in May 1995, while Simon Jackson and Associates were responsible for interior design of the hotel component. The overall expenditure for Cathay Pacific City reached HK$4.9 billion.
Facility
Positioned on of reclaimed land at the southeastern edge of Hong Kong International Airport’s platform, Cathay Pacific City covers , ranking among Asia’s largest corporate headquarters complexes.
The campus includes three office buildings each rising 10 storeys, a staff hotel with 23 floors, an HSBC branch dedicated to Cathay City, a flight training centre featuring a safety academy, alongside a workshop and storage facility, a leisure centre, and an airline stores building. A distinctive element is a steel pedestrian bridge topped with a cantilevered glass canopy.
By 2004, Air Hong Kong had established its headquarters on the fourth floor of Cathay Pacific City’s South Tower. In February 2012, FlightSafety International and Gulfstream Aerospace, collaborating with Cathay Pacific, inaugurated a training centre for pilots operating Gulfstream 450 and 550 aircraft at this location.
The complex also contains the Cathay Pacific Experience museum spanning , which presents the airline’s history and evolution across three exhibition galleries. Adjacent to the main campus is the Headland Hotel, reserved exclusively for employees of Cathay Pacific and its affiliates.
Entry to Cathay Pacific City is controlled through electronic access passes to maintain security for staff and restricted zones.
Public transport
Travel options from Hong Kong’s city centre via MTR include:
- To Tung Chung – transfer to Long Win Bus route S64; Cathay Pacific City is the second stop.
- To Airport – reach Cathay Pacific City using the HAS crew shuttle service departing from Terminal 1 Ground Transportation Centre.
See also
- CAL Park (headquarters of China Airlines in Taoyuan, Taiwan)
- Waterside (building) (British Airways’ main office in London)
- SAS Frösundavik Office Building (Scandinavian Airlines’ headquarters in Solna, Sweden)
References
- Cairns, Robert. "Cathay City: Hong Kong International Airport." Asian Architect and Contractor. May 1998. Volume 27, p.62.
- Excellence in Exhibit Plus Event Design. Visual Reference Publications. 1 February 2010. ISBN 1584711213.
- Tam, Angela. "Cathay Pacific City." Asian Architect and Contractor. July 1999. Volume 28, p.13.