Cathay Pacific fleet

For the fleet of subsidiary Dragonair, see Dragonair § Fleet.

Cathay Pacific operates an all-wide-body fleet composed of Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Boeing 747 and Boeing 777 aircraft.

Current

Cathay Pacific operates four-class configurations on all of its Boeing 747-400 and most Boeing 777-300ER fleet, three-class configurations on remaining Boeing 777-300ER, all Airbus A340-300 and all long-haul Airbus A330-300 aircraft, and two-class configurations on all regional-configured aircraft. The Boeing customer code for Cathay Pacific is 67 (e.g. 777-367ER). As of Oct 2015, the Cathay Pacific passenger fleet comprises the following aircraft:

Cathay Pacific Passenger Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
F J W Y Total
Airbus A330-300 41 — — 24 — 293 317
— 39 21 191 251
— 39 — 223 262
Airbus A340-300 5 — — 26 28 211 265 Replacement aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Airbus A350-900 — 22 — 38 28 214 280 Replacing Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A340-300
Deliveries from May 2016[1]
Airbus A350-1000 — 26 — 46 32 256 334
Boeing 747-400 3 — 9 46 26 278 359 Replacement aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Will be retired in October 2016
Boeing 777-200 5 — — 42 — 294 336
Boeing 777-300 12 — — 42 — 356 398 Regional cabin
Launch customer for the type
Boeing 777-300ER 53 — — 40 32 268 340
6 53 34 182 275
Boeing 777-9 — 21
TBA
 Deliveries from 2020.[2][3]
Total 120 69

Fleet gallery

Special color schemes

Passenger fleet plans

A Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 being cleaned at London Heathrow Airport, a South African Airways wingtip can be seen on the left-hand side of the image
Cleaning a Boeing 747-400 at London Heathrow Airport

On 8 November 2007, Cathay Pacific ordered seven additional Boeing 777-300ERs and 10 747-8F freighters with a list price of US$5.2 billion.[4] In addition, it also took 14 options for the new freighter at that time. This order, if all options are exercised, would make Cathay Pacific the largest operator of 777-300ERs in Asia and largest operator of 747-8Fs in the world.[5] On 6 December 2007, the airline, already the biggest operator of the Airbus A330, placed a firm order for eight more Airbus A330-300 aircraft valued at approximately US$1.7 billion at list prices. Together with the commitment for 17 long-haul passenger aircraft and freighters, the new aircraft took Cathay Pacific Group's fleet size to 200 by 2012. From those 200 aircraft, the airline operates 155 itself, and the rest are used by its subsidiaries.[6]

The airline's CEO, Tony Tyler, stated on 30 October 2007 that the carrier had no plans regarding the purchase of either the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or the Airbus A380 for the time being.[7] On 8 June 2010, the carrier entered talks with both Boeing and Airbus about adding the 787 Dreamliner and/or the Airbus A350 to their fleet, with Tyler reported to have said that the airline was more interested in acquiring smaller, long-range jets that are better suited for carrying cargo, than it is in acquiring either the Boeing 747-8 or the Airbus A380. The twinjet aircraft would allow Cathay Pacific to both add new destinations to its network, and to replace those 747-400s and A340-300s that currently operate on its long-haul routes alongside 777-300ERs.[8] The carrier remained open on a potential purchase of the B747-8 and A380 for long-haul and ultra long-haul routes to Australia, the US and Europe. "Airbus and Boeing have been talking to us, and we will study both the A380 and the 747-8 Intercontinental next year (2012)," Cathay Pacific chief executive John Slosar told flightglobal Pro.[9]

On 11 March 2009, it was reported that the delivery of two aircraft due in 2008 was delayed after a strike at Boeing. Additionally, the delivery of two 747-8 freighters was pushed back to 2010 amid delays at the planemaker.[10] The delivery positions on new A330-300 and 777-300ER aircraft were deferred due to the economic recession. Cathay Pacific also sent four A340-300 and two 747-400 aircraft to Victorville Airport for storage.[11]

On 4 August 2010, it was confirmed that Cathay Pacific would buy 30 A350-900s and six more 777-300ERs.[12] On 8 March 2011, it was reported that the airline had ordered another 15 A330-300s and 10 777-300ERs. The deal also included two more A350-900s, to be leased from ILFC.[13] On 10 August 2011, Cathay Pacific entered into an agreement with Boeing to purchase four 777-300ER passenger aircraft and eight Boeing 777F Freighters.[14] On 20 January 2012, it was confirmed that Cathay Pacific would buy another six A350-900s.[15] At the 2012 Farnborough Airshow, it was confirmed that Cathay would order 10 A350-1000s and convert 16 A350-900s to the bigger −1000.[16]

Cathay Pacific launched Premium Economy Class on its new 777-300ERs in March 2012. The aircraft feature 40 Business Class, 32 Premium Economy Class and 268 Economy Class seats with the absence of a First Class cabin.[17] Premium Economy Class service on its new A330-300s was available from March 2012; the aircraft are configured with 38 Business Class, 28 Premium Economy Class and 175 Economy Class seats.[18] Premium Economy Class will also be offered on 4-class 777-300ERs and 747-400s from summer 2012.[19][20][21] On 20 December 2013, the airline placed an order for 21 Boeing 777-9X aircraft at a listed price of HK$58 billion.

Cargo

A Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-8F taxis at John F. Kennedy International Airport. This plane is the 100th Boeing plane ordered by the airline.

Cathay Pacific Cargo operates a fleet of over 20 freighters to more than 40 destinations around the world, in addition to utilising the cargo space on its passenger aircraft. The cargo subsidiary was established in 1981 with a twice-a-week Hong Kong–Frankfurt–London service operated jointly with Lufthansa.[22] The cargo division ranked fifth in the freight category of the 2008 The World's Top 25 Airlines by Air Transport World.[23] Cathay Pacific Cargo handles most of the airlines' passenger cargo. Together with its cargo routes, it serves more than 80 destinations and is able to operate to destinations that are not in the Cathay Pacific passenger network.

Cathay Pacific Cargo fleet (as of December 2013)[24]
Aircraft In Service Orders
Boeing 747-400F 3 —
Boeing 747-400ERF 6 —
Boeing 747-8F 13 1[25]
Total 22 1

Cargo fleet notes

Boeing 747-200F at Melbourne Airport (2007).

On 5 October 2005, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter (Boeing 747-400BCF) aircraft that was converted from passenger configuration to a freighter in Xiamen, China. Cathay Pacific Cargo is the launch customer for this aircraft model and it was also the first time Boeing had conducted a major flight test programme outside the United States.[26] On 22 June 2006, the airline ordered six Boeing 747-400ERF freighters, delivered in 2008 and 2009.[27] On 31 October 2011, Cathay Pacific took delivery of its first Boeing 747-8F.[28] Eighteen months after the first delivery, the airline ordered an additional three 747-8F in lieu of the eight 777-200F originally ordered. As part of the agreement, Boeing will re-acquire four 747-400BCF from Cathay Pacific group as well.[29]

On 18 March 2008, Airport Authority Hong Kong (HKAA) awarded Cathay Pacific Services Ltd (CPSL), a wholly owned subsidiary, a non-exclusive 20-year franchise to invest in, design, construct and operate a new air cargo terminal at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), to be built in the cargo area at the airport, close to the existing cargo servicing facilities, with a site area of approximately 10 hectares. The new cargo terminal will be operated by a separate management team in CPSL.[30] On 15 January 2009, CPSL signed a supplementary agreement with the HKAA to defer the completion of its new cargo terminal by a maximum of 24 months to mid-2013, in response to the current market conditions. A non-disclosed compensation amount for the deferral is included in the supplementary agreement.[31] Architecture firm Aedas is designing Cargo Terminal[32]

Special liveries

In 1997, a Boeing 747-200 (B-HIB) named Spirit of Hong Kong, with a special livery, a big traditional Chinese brushstroke character "家" (means family/home), a traditional Chinese wording "繁榮進步 更創新高" painted on the left side of the aircraft and a wording "The Spirit of Hong Kong 97" painted on the right side of the aircraft, to commemorate the handover of Hong Kong back to China.[33] On 17 January 2000, Spirit of Hong Kong made a return on a Boeing 747-400 (B-HOX) to celebrate the legendary resilience of Hong Kong with a new special livery depicts a young athlete overcoming a series of challenges to reach his goal. A special wording "Same Team. Same Dream." was painted on the left side of the aircraft and a traditional Chinese wording "積極進取 飛越更高理想" was painted on the right side of the aircraft.[34][35][36] On 30 July 2013, Spirit of Hong Kong made another return, this time, on a Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPB). The livery features 110 people who represent the extraordinary spirit of Hong Kong people. The livery also has the wordings "The Spirit of Hong Kong 香港精神號" The livery is actually an online contest held by Cathay Pacific to call on Hong Kong people to submit creative entries that illustrate the true spirit of the city – along with a full-body photograph of themselves. The judging panel then chose 100 winners and 10 champions – and their silhouettes have been painted on the plane.[37][38]

Airbus A330-300 with Progress Hong Kong livery
Airbus A330-300 fuselage livery. This aircraft was named Progress Hong Kong.

On 5 July 2002, a Boeing 747-400 (B-HOY), named Asia's world city, carried a special livery, the "Asia's world city" brandline, the Brand Hong Kong logotype and the dragon symbol, to promote Hong Kong around the world.[39] In January 2008, a new Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPF) was painted in the Asia's world city livery.[40]

On 29 August 2006, the airline took delivery of its 100th aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 with the registration B-LAD. For the aircraft acceptance ceremony in Toulouse, the aircraft was painted in a 100th aircraft livery with a 60th anniversary sticker behind the second doors (2L and 2R), the wording "100th aircraft", and the traditional Chinese wording "進步精神" painted on the rear of the aircraft.[41] The aircraft was named Progress Hong Kong, a name that was chosen from a competition by the staff.[41][42]

In November 2011, Cathay received its second 747-8 Freighter (B-LJA) which was painted in the Hong Kong Trader livery. The livery was designed to commemorate the topping out of the new Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal. The name of the livery is taken from Cathay Pacific’s very first 747 freighter which entered the fleet in 1982.

Currently, a total of three Cathay Pacific aircraft are painted in the Oneworld livery to commemorate the alliance's 10th anniversary. On 12 March 2009, Cathay Pacific's first Oneworld aircraft, an Airbus A340-300 (B-HXG), was painted in the new, standard Oneworld livery. An additional aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 (B-HLU), has also been painted in the Oneworld livery while a brand-new Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPL) was painted and delivered on 17 October 2009.[43][44][45]

Fleet history

Cathay Pacific DC-3 Betsy
Betsy

Since its conception in 1946, the airline had operated many types of aircraft. The first two aircraft were two World War II surplus Douglas DC-3s named Betsy and Niki. Betsy (VR-HDB), the first aircraft for Cathay Pacific, is now a permanent exhibit in the Hong Kong Science Museum. Niki (VR-HDA) was lost, but a similar DC-3 was purchased as a replacement. It was refurbished and repainted by the airline's Engineering Department and maintenance provider, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company, and it now wears the second Cathay Pacific livery from the late 1940s. This aircraft received Niki's old VR-HDA aircraft registration and is now on public view in the car park outside the Flight Training Centre of Cathay City.[46]

Cathay Pacific Retired Fleet[47]

[48] [49]

[50]
Aircraft Year Retired Notes
Airbus A340-200 1996 Leased from Philippine Airlines before delivery of A340-300
Airbus A340-600 2009 Leased from ILFC
Avro Anson 1950 Two operated for the Burmese government
Boeing 707-320B 1983
Boeing 747-200B 1997/2009 Some were converted to freighter. All 747-200s retired in 2009.
Boeing 747-300 2002 Five sold to Pakistan International Airlines in July 2002
Bristol Britannia Leased from BOAC for a few months whilst the Electras were taken out of service due to defects
Consolidated PBY Catalina 1948 Two used for a few months in a joint venture in Macau Air Transport Company[51]
Convair 880 1975 First jet aircraft type operated by the airline.
Douglas DC-3 1961
Douglas DC-4 1963
Douglas DC-6B 1962
Lockheed L-1011-100 TriStar 1997 Largest operator of the type outside the United States in late 1980s and early 1990s[52]
Lockheed L-188 Electra 1967

References

  1. ↑ "Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 delivery pushed back to 'late April". ausbt date=2016-02-05. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
  2. ↑ "Cathay orders 21 777-9Xs". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "Boeing and Cathay Pacific Airways Announce Order for 21 777-9Xs". Boeing. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Boeing and Cathay Pacific Announce Order for 10 747-8Fs and Seven 777-300ERs" (Press release). Boeing. 8 November 2007. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  5. ↑ Cheung, Clare; Shen, Irene (8 November 2007). NJawQ&refer=china "Cathay Pacific Orders 17 Boeing Jets on China Growth (Update3)" Check |url= value (help). Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  6. ↑ "Cathay Pacific Group fleet to number 200 in five years with latest aircraft order" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  7. ↑ "Cathay Pacific: no plans for 787 or A380". ABCmoney. co. uk. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  8. ↑ Rothwell, Steve (8 June 2010). "Cathay, Air France-KLM Embrace Airbags as Safety Rules Tighten". Bloomberg.
  9. ↑ "Cathay Pacific stays on the course of expansion". Aspire Aviation. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Leung, Wendy (11 March 2009). "Cathay Pacific to delay planes, review routes on loss". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Cathay Pacific Fleet of A340 (Stored) | Airfleets aviation". Airfleets.net. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  12. ↑ Cheng, Wing-Gar (4 August 2010). "Cathay Pacific Orders 36 Planes After Profit Beats Expectations". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  13. ↑ "AFP: Cathay Pacific orders 27 Airbus and Boeing planes". Google. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
  14. ↑ "Cathay Pacific continues fleet modernisation and growth with latest Boeing order". Cathaypacific.com. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  15. ↑ "Cathay Pacific inks deal for six more A350-900s". Flightglobal. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  16. ↑ "Astride its volcano, Cathay Pacific's A350-1000 order is one more important long term measure". CAPA. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Cathay Pacific to launch Premium Economy on 777-300ER from March 2012". Airline Route. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
  18. ↑ "Cathay Pacific to launch Premium Economy on A330-300 from March 2012". Airline Route. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  19. ↑ "Cathay Pacific to Launch 4-class Boeing 777-300ER from September 2012". Airline Route. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  20. ↑ "Cathay Pacific to Launch Premium Economy on Boeing 747 from June 2012". Airline Route. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  21. ↑ "Cathay Pacific S12 Planned New Inflight Product Operation as of 09JAN12". Airline Route. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  22. ↑ "Cathay Pacific Cargo". Cathay Pacific Cargo. Archived from the original on October 7, 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  23. ↑ "World Airline Report – The World's Top 25 Airlines 2008". Air Transport World (Penton Media). July 2009.
  24. ↑ Cathay Pacific Fleet at ch-aviation.ch
  25. ↑ "Cathay Pacific announces additional aircraft order". Cathay Pacific. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "First 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter Takes Flight". Boeing. 2005-10-05. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved 2013-03-10.
  27. ↑ "Major Transaction – Purchase of 6 Boeing 747-400ERF Freighters" (PDF) (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 29 June 2006. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
  28. ↑ "PICTURES: Cathay Pacific takes delivery of its first Boeing 747-8F". Flight International. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  29. ↑ http://downloads.cathaypacific.com/cx/investor/announcement/20130301_CX_Discloseable_Transaction_Announcement_en.pdf
  30. ↑ "Airport Authority Awards New Cargo Terminal Franchise to Cathay Pacific Services Limited" (Press release). Airport Authority Hong Kong. 18 March 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  31. ↑ "Agreement on deferral of completion of third cargo terminal" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 15 January 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  32. ↑ "Project Page: Hong Kong International Airport – Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal". Aedas.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2011.
  33. ↑ "Cathay Pacific B-HIB Photo Search Result". Airliners.net. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  34. ↑ "Cathay Pacific Welcomes Arrival of New "Spirit of Hong Kong"" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 17 January 2000. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  35. ↑ "Cathay Pacific – Picture of the Boeing 747–467 aircraft – Right". Airliners.net. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  36. ↑ "Cathay Pacific – Picture of the Boeing 747–467 aircraft – Left". Airliners.net. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  37. ↑ "Cathay Pacific - The Spirit of Hong Kong". cathaypacific.com.
  38. ↑ "Photo Search Results". airliners.net.
  39. ↑ "Cathay Pacific holds Open Day for "Asia's World City" Aircraft" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 5 July 2002. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  40. ↑ "Cathay Pacific B-KPF Photo Search Results". Airliners.net. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  41. 1 2 "Cathay Pacific's 100th Aircraft Greets the Past" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  42. ↑ "Cathay Pacific B-LAD Picture of the Airbus A330-343X aircraft". Airliners.net. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  43. ↑ "Cathay Pacific celebrates Oneworld 10th anniversary with first aircraft in alliance livery" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 12 March 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  44. ↑ "Oneworld (Cathay Pacific Airways) Pictures & Photos". Airliners.net. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  45. ↑ "Cathay Pacific Airways 's Photos – Wall Photos". Cathay Pacific. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  46. ↑ "Vintage Aircraft Brings the Past Alive at Cathay Pacific Headquarter's in Airlines 60th Anniversary Year" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  47. ↑ "Cathay Pacific fleet". airfleets.net. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  48. ↑ "The Cathay Pacific Fleet". Cathay Pacific. October 1996. Archived from the original on 4 February 1997. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  49. ↑ 馮志亮, 劉伯智, 胡淑芬, 王百賦, 劉俊輝, 龐德礎, 江桐林, 翹首振翅：香港機師手記 (Hong Kong: ET Press, 2004), pp. 188–189.
  50. ↑ Danny C.Y. Chan, Hong Kong Aircraft Handbook (Hong Kong: Northcord Transport, 1996).
  51. ↑ Günter Endres, Major Airlines of the World (Second Edition) (Shrewsbury: Airlife, 2002), p. 53.
  52. ↑ "FS2004 Lockheed L-1011 TriStar Cathay Pacific Update Package". fsplanet.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
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