Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong International) has reportedly decided to order the B777-8F over the A350F, according to Reuters. The airline intends to take six of the type to begin replacing its B747-400(F) fleet.
The report cites "industry sources" and says the carrier is close to placing the order. Since launching the freighter variant in early 2022, Boeing has booked orders from multiple airlines, including Lufthansa, Silk Way Airlines, Cargolux, and Qatar Airways.
Boeing says it is on track to start deliveries of the B777-8F in 2027 while the delivery date for the first A350F has slipped from 2025 to 2026. Cathay Pacific's cargo division operates a total of twenty B747Fs, including six B747-400ERFs and fourteen B747-8Fs.
During an analyst's briefing late last year, then Cathay Pacific Chief Commercial Officer Ronald Lam indicated that the airline was beginning to look at ordering new freighters. However, he said any decision to do so would be made in a "measured and responsible way."
