Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong International) is talking to aircraft manufacturers regarding new narrowbodies and freighters. Speaking at a November 25, 2022, analyst briefing, chief customer and commercial officer Ronald Lam said the airline was satisfied with its future long-haul passenger fleet composition but was now turning its attention to the short- to medium-haul sector.
"We are looking to acquire more regional aircraft to fill growth for the (Cathay Pacific) Group moving forward. So we are running requests for proposals (RFPs) and in regular discussions with the OEMs," said Lam. "We are also looking at more freighter capacity moving forward. In that regard, we are also actively working with the OEMs to acquire new freighters after 2025."
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Cathay's narrowbody fleet entails four A320-200s (parked), four A321-200s (parked), and seven A321-200NX (of which four are active). Its freighter fleet entails five B747-400ERFs and fourteen B747-8(F)s. Low-cost subsidiary HK Express (UO, Hong Kong International) runs five A320ceo, ten A320neo, and eleven A321ceo (parked), with sixteen A321neo on order.
Across October, Cathay Pacific flew 21% of its pre-pandemic passenger capacity and 63% of its pre-pandemic cargo capacity. The airline notes that the lifting of quarantine requirements for arrivals entering Hong Kong at the end of September significantly improved travel demand. The mainline Cathay Pacific operation was back flying to 59 destinations in October - up from 29 at the beginning of 2022.
Cathay Pacific expects passenger capacity to be restored in a measured and responsible way, reaching 33% of pre-pandemic levels at the end of 2022, 70% by the end of 2023, and 100% by the end of 2024. At the end of October, the Cathay Pacific Group (which includes Air Hong Kong and HK Express) still had 59 planes parked (down from 68 at the end of June). The Group operates narrowbody Airbus aircraft at Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express, Airbus freighters at Air Hong Kong, and a mix of widebody Boeing and Airbus aircraft which are deployed on medium and long-haul Cathay Pacific routes.
"On long-haul passenger aircraft, we have a number of B777-300ERs and those will be staying," said Lam. "We also have orders for A350 long hauls and we'll continue to take those orders. We will have new B777-9s arriving from 2025 onwards. Overall, I think we have enough long-haul aircraft to fill Cathay Pacific's growth plan on the long-haul network."
According to the latest aircraft manufacturer order book updates, Cathay Pacific has undelivered orders for twenty B777-9s, two A350-900s, and one A350-1000.
