Cathay has officially launched Cathay Technologies, a new subsidiary aimed at bringing its homegrown digital tools to the wider aviation industry.
It’s a move that reflects not only the airline group’s growing focus on technology, but also how much the aviation world is shifting toward smarter, faster, and greener ways of working.
Here’s all you need to know.
A New Chapter for Cathay’s Digital Journey
Cathay Technologies will take some of the airline’s in-house digital developments—first designed for its own operations—and offer them to airlines and aviation companies around the world.
Leading the new venture is Navin Chellaram, who also oversees Cathay’s Digital Ventures division.
The idea behind it is simple: if the technology works for Cathay Pacific, Cathay Cargo, HK Express, and Air Hong Kong, it could also help others improve efficiency, safety, and customer service.
The centerpiece is something called the Electronic Flight Folder (EFF).
Since 2019, pilots across Cathay’s airlines have been using this digital system instead of the traditional paper-based cockpit paperwork.
The EFF lets pilots:
Communicate directly with ground staff during flights through Ops Chat.
Access historical flight data to standardize operations.
Speed up refueling procedures, shaving up to seven minutes off turnaround times.
Use dynamic flight planning to save significant amounts of fuel—up to 4–5 tonnes on long-haul routes.
In short, it’s a tool that cuts down time on the ground, cuts down fuel in the air, and cuts down paperwork everywhere.
Building Hong Kong’s Innovation Ecosystem
Cathay Technologies has joined the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park’s Co-Acceleration Programme Fund, alongside other major companies, to help startups in the city scale up.
The move fits into Cathay’s broader push to support Hong Kong’s tech development, building on past initiatives like the Cathay Hackathon and the Digital Graduate Trainee Programme.
It’s a reminder that while airlines are often thought of mainly as transport companies, Cathay is increasingly positioning itself as part of the region’s digital future too.
Why It Matters
In an aviation world where efficiency, safety, and carbon emissions are under constant scrutiny, digital innovation isn’t just nice to have—it’s becoming critical.
The launch of Cathay Technologies shows how airlines are starting to think differently about the tech they create for themselves—and how it might become a business line in its own right.
It’s also another sign that Hong Kong’s role in aviation isn’t just about geography—it’s about ideas.
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