Summary
- Cathay Pacific has ordered 30 Airbus A330-900 aircraft, with an additional 30 options for the aircraft.
- The airline said that deliveries of the A330-900 should begin in 2028.
- The order was part of Cathay Pacific’s massive investment into Hong Kong and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), which included the A330-900 order and improvements to the overall passenger experience, including new cabins on several long-haul aircraft types.
Cathay Pacific has finalized an order for 30 Airbus A330-900 aircraft, with the airline completing its thorough evaluation of aircraft under its mid-size widebody fleet renewal program.
Renewing its A330-300 fleet
One of the things that Airbus emphasized was the fact that the airline would be able to renew its A330-300 fleet while also expanding its operations on high-capacity regional routes.
In addition, the A330-900 will offer flexibility to serve long-range destinations, with the aircraft utilizing the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the exclusive option for the A330neo.
Photo: Airbus
Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific highlighted that the deal includes 30 firm orders and 30 options, with the airline now having over 100 next-generation aircraft in its delivery pipeline with a further 80 options.
Ch-aviation data showed that Cathay Pacific has 43 A330-300 aircraft in its fleet, with nine of them being marked as inactive.
Airbus should deliver the A330-900s starting in 2028, Cathay Pacific said.
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Still recovering
Ronald Lam, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Cathay Pacific Group, stated that as the airline has completed the final stages of its recovery process following the pandemic, the next chapter involved modernizing and growing its fleet.
“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.”
Lam pointed out that the A330, as an aircraft type, has been serving with the carrier for nearly 30 years. The executive continued that the A330-900s would principally serve its regional destinations in Asia while still providing an option to deploy these widebodies on long-range routes.
Photo: JEERAPAN JANKAEW | Shutterstock
Christian Scherer, the CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, added that the latest order from Cathay Pacific was a significant endorsement for the A330neo, which was a natural successor to existing A330s.
“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.”
Cathay Pacific’s order came shortly after the end of the Farnborough International Airshow, where multiple airlines, including Vietjet, Virgin Atlantic, and flynas, ordered the A330-900.
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Investing in HKG and its customer experience
The order was part of Cathay Pacific’s investment of more than HKD100 billion ($12.8 billion) to strengthen the status of Hong Kong and its airport, Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), as an international aviation hub, underpinned by the Three-Runway System.
The investments are comprised of the A330-900 orders and new cabin products that will be launched in 2024, 2025, and 2026, including all-new business class, premium economy, and economy class cabins that will be installed on its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft later in 2024.
In 2025, Cathay Pacific has planned to launch a world-leading first class experience on the 777-9, while a brand-new cabin and a flat-bed business class product would be introduced to its A330s in 2026.
Photo: heychli | Shutterstock
Furthermore, the carrier has promised complimentary WiFi to its business class customers and Diamond – the highest status level of Cathay Pacific’s loyalty program – members that will be rolled out progressively in the coming months.
Lastly, the airline has promised to refresh its lounges at HKG, Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), and for the first time ever, have a dedicated lounge space at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
On the same day that Cathay Pacific announced the A330-900 order and investments in its passenger experience, the carrier detailed that it finished H1 2024 with a HKD3.6 billion ($461.7 million) profit.
The airline’s six-month result was 15.3% lower year-on-year (YoY) due to the “normalization of ticket prices.”
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