Hong Kong’s Cathay Group has been evaluating its fleet for renewal of its mid-size widebody, and today, it has decided and placed an order.

Cathay Pacific orders the A330neo aircraft.

The Cathay Group placed a firm order for 30 A330-900 widebody aircraft today. The order follows a thorough evaluation by the airline under its mid-size widebody fleet renewal programme.

The newly-ordered aircraft will enable Cathay to modernise its earlier generation A330-300 fleet and expand its operations on high-capacity regional routes. The aircraft will also offer flexibility to serve longer-range destinations. As with all A330neo aircraft, the fleet will be powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.

The A330neo, known interchangeably as the A330-900, is the updated version of the A330, featuring improved range and fuel efficiency. The A330-900 can fly 7,200 nm / 13,330 km non-stop and features the award-winning Airspace cabin, offering a superior flight experience. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A330neo can already operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which will increase to 100% by 2030. The aircraft can fly 287 passengers in a standard three-cabin configuration. The timeline for these jets being delivered hasn’t yet been disclosed.

Cathay now has more than 100 new-generation aircraft in its delivery pipeline, with the right to acquire over 80 additional aircraft in future. With orders covering narrowbody, regional widebody, long-haul widebody, and large freighter aircraft, these investments promise to modernise and expand Cathay’s fleet. Furthermore, the enhanced fuel efficiency they provide will play an important role in reducing carbon emissions and helping Cathay achieve its carbon net-zero by 2050 goal.

For context, this is the current fleet that Cathay Pacific operates:

• 12 Airbus A321neos, used for regional routes
• 39 Airbus A330-300s, used for regional and some long-haul routes
• 54 Boeing 777s, mostly long haul 777-300ERs, also some regional 777-300s
• 48 Airbus A350s, split between -900 and -1000 variants

The airline has the following aircraft on order for now:

• 28 Airbus A321neos on order for regional service
• 30 Airbus A330-900neos on order, which will replace the A330-300s.
• 21 Boeing 777-9s on order, which will replace the older 777s

Ronald Lam, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer, said

As Cathay completes the final stretch of its rebuilding journey, we are turning the page to modernisation and growth, both in terms of scope and quality. We are delighted to announce this new order for state-of-the-art A330neo aircraft. This substantial investment reflects not only our immense confidence in Hong Kong’s leading international aviation hub status, but also represents our commitment to fostering our home city’s ongoing development.

The A330 is an aircraft type that has been serving Cathay Pacific well for nearly 30 years. These new aircraft will principally serve our regional destinations in Asia, while also providing the flexibility to serve longer-haul destinations as required. The improved fuel efficiency of these A330neos, together with their high standards of comfort, will enable us to further elevate the experience we provide for our customers while also contributing towards our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft, said

This latest order from Cathay, one of the world’s most experienced A330 operators, is a major endorsement of the latest generation A330neo. It is the natural successor for existing A330 fleets, bringing the highest levels of technical and operational commonality, and significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions. In addition, the award-winning Airspace cabin provides a whole new flight experience.

At Cathay, the A330neo will become the backbone of its regional widebody operations, with the versatility to operate on longer routes. Together with its A320 Family and A350 fleets, the airline will be able to take full benefit from the unique synergies of the latest generation Airbus product line.

At the end of July, the A330 Family had won 1,805 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide, with 1,469 aircraft in service on long, medium, and short-haul routes worldwide.

Cathay Group will invest over 100 billion HKD to strengthen Hong Kong’s Aviation Hub status.

The Cathay Group has also committed more than 100 billion Hong Kong Dollars in investments over the next seven years to elevate its customer experience further and strengthen Hong Kong’s international aviation hub status riding on the Three-Runway System. This encompasses significant investments in its fleet, cabin products, lounges, and digital and sustainability leadership as it sets its sights on growing for its customers, people, and home in Hong Kong.

Cathay Group Chair Patrick Healy said

With the Three-Runway System soon to propel Hong Kong’s aviation sector into a new age, the coming years are going to be an incredibly exciting time for Hong Kong and for Cathay with ample new opportunities to grow.

As the city’s home airline, we are a key contributor towards the future success of the Hong Kong international aviation hub. Our substantial investments further demonstrate our unwavering commitment to fostering Hong Kong’s ongoing economic development.

With over HK$100 billion being invested in our fleet, cabin products, airport lounges and more, we are firmly turning the page and embarking on a bold new strategy for the future, not just in scope but also in quality. Cathay is entering an exciting new era underpinned by our determination to become one of the world’s greatest service brands.

Cathay will also unveil new cabin products launching in each of the coming three years. This begins with the airline’s all-new Aria Suite, Premium Economy, and refreshed Economy coming to its redesigned Boeing 777-300ER aircraft later this year. A world-leading first-class experience onboard its 777-9s will launch in 2025, followed by a brand new cabin and flat-bed Business-class product on its existing A330 aircraft in 2026.

Bottomline

Cathay Pacific is pivoting to score its spot among premium airlines across Asia again. The airline has just ordered replacement aircraft for the A330 it flies and has committed to investing 100 billion HKD to improve the product and experience expected of Cathay.

What do you think of Cathay Pacific’s plans and new aircraft order?

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