Exactly half a century ago, Luxembourg’s national carrier Luxair, Iceland's national carrier Loftleiðir, the Swedish shipping company Salén and some private investors, founded Cargolux. With a single aircraft and a handful of employees, these ambitious investors created what was to become one of the world’s leading all-cargo carriers. Since its inception, Cargolux has lived up to its now famous slogan ‘You name it, we fly it’ – the embodiment of the Cargolux spirit. 
 
Throughout its history, the company has been a pioneer in the air freight industry. The first airline to fly the 747-400F, Cargolux was also the launch customer for the 747-8F and the first to operate both aircraft-type simulators. Even 50 years after its foundation, Cargolux remains frontrunner in its field, continuously looking for innovative and effective ways to carry out its mission. In addition to setting high standards in the industry, the airline has also contributed to the diversification of Luxembourg’s economy.  
 
This year marks a remarkable achievement for Cargolux, a success that will be celebrated all year long with special events for our customers and staff worldwide.  
 
“It is a remarkable achievement for an all-cargo operator to celebrate 50 years in existence and I think I speak on behalf of the whole company when I say we are proud of how far our airline has come. We have weathered many storms over the years and this celebration shows the world how committed and dedicated our employees are. In addition, I would also like to thank all of our customers and business partners in helping us get to commemorating this memorable occasion.”, says Richard Forson, Cargolux’s President and CEO. 
 
A month ahead of its official anniversary date, Cargolux welcomed a specially branded aircraft to mark the occasion. LX-VCC, one of the company’s iconic 747-8 freighters, sporting a new livery emblazoned with a jubilee design and a new name “Spirit of Cargolux”. It now proudly tours the world conveying the message of our success. The rest of the fleet also dons a commemorative emblem to mark the occasion and celebrate the milestone. 
 
A retrospective website (http://anniversary.cargolux.com) has been launched to commemorate the airline’s journey and evolution. The narrative which takes readers through the years is complemented by pictures of our core business and our fleet over half a century. 
 
Throughout the years, the expansion of the company worldwide and the evolution of the fleet reflect its unwavering ambition. Cargolux is the number one freight-only operator in Europe and is 7th on IATA’s international ranking based on international scheduled FTKs. The airline is one of only a handful of all-cargo operators to have such a rich and long-standing history.