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THE HONG KONG-based carrier Cathay Pacific is seeking to replace some of its older midsized widebody aircraft and has issued a request for more information to Airbus and Boeing regarding its widebody aircraft, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The airline is reportedly considering Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Airbus A330neos, or Airbus A350 aircraft for the potential multi-billion order. The specific aircraft choice and the timing of the order placement are currently unknown.
In a comment to Simple Flying, the carrier affirmed the ongoing evaluation of options for a versatile midsized widebody aircraft. Cathay Pacific said:
“Cathay is committed to continuing to invest in expanding and modernising our fleet with state-of-the-art aircraft to support our growth plans. We regularly review our fleet development plans in accordance with our future requirements. We are evaluating options for a versatile, mid-sized widebody aircraft that can undertake a range of missions and grow our passenger and cargo business.”
The airline refrained from making significant orders recently as it grappled with the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the airline severely. The most recent orders were for Airbus A350 freighters and single-aisle jets such as the A320neo and the A321neo.
Apart from six A350 freighters, Cathay Pacific has eight A320neo and 28 A321neo aircraft in the pipeline with the European aircraft manufacturer. In addition, the carrier has 21 Boeing 777X widebodies on order with Boeing, a plane maker whose aircraft have traditionally held a dominant position in Cathay’s fleet, according to ch-aviation. Nevertheless, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in favor of Airbus.
Aging widebody fleet
The Hong Kong full-service carrier currently has a fleet of 190 aircraft at an average age of 13.3 years old, as per ch-aviation data. The fleet comprises 56 Boeing 777s, 51 Airbus A330s, 48 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 747 freighters, 14 Airbus A321s, and a single Airbus A320 aircraft.
Among its widebody fleet, the oldest aircraft consist of Airbus A330-300s and Boeing 777-300s. The airline’s 51 A330-300s currently have an average age of 17.1 years, while the airline’s 17 777-300s have an average age of 22.4 years. [sources/photo special]
