Cathay Pacific to Make Decision on Mid-Sized Widebody Fleet Replacement by End of Year
Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong-based airline, is gearing up to announce its future mid-sized widebody fleet replacement by the end of the year, according to Chief Executive Ronald Lam. This decision comes as the airline remains optimistic about its full recovery projection for the first quarter of 2025.
Lam revealed that Cathay is currently in the midst of a fleet renewal campaign and is expected to unveil its decision within the upcoming months. The airline has yet to finalize the number of aircraft it plans to order as part of this renewal process.
The focus of this fleet update will likely be on replacing the aging Airbus A330-300s in Cathay’s current fleet. With a total of 43 A330s in operation, some of these aircraft will undergo retrofitting with new regional cabin products starting in 2026.
Lam’s announcement was made during the IATA Annual General Meeting in Dubai, where he also highlighted Cathay’s recent aircraft orders. In late 2023, the airline placed a substantial order for six A350 freighters worth $2.7 billion. Additionally, a deal for 32 A321neo/A320neo narrowbodies was finalized in September, solidifying options from a previous purchase agreement dating back to 2017.
The plan for a mid-sized fleet renewal was initially proposed in November 2022, with Lam confirming the airline’s interest in new mid-sized aircraft during a FlightGlobal interview a year later.
On a separate note, Lam expressed confidence in Cathay and its low-cost subsidiary HK Express achieving full recovery of passenger flights by the first quarter of 2025. Currently operating at over 80% of pre-pandemic levels, the airline group’s progress towards recovery has been substantial.
Despite facing setbacks such as flight cancellations due to staffing shortages earlier this year, Cathay, which reported record profits for 2023, remains determined to bounce back. While the original target for full recovery was set for the end of 2024, the revised timeline now aims for early 2025.