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	—	—	42	—	265	307	Regional cabin
			—	24	—	293	317
			—	39	21	191	251
			—	39	28	175	242
			—	39	—	223	262
Airbus A340-300	7	—	—	26	28	211	265	In the process of being retired Replacement aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Airbus A350-900	—	22	—	38	28	214	280	Replacing Boeing 777-200 and Airbus A340-300 The first aircraft will be delivered in Feb 2016
Airbus A350-1000	—	26	—	46	32	256	334
Boeing 747-400	3	—	9	46	26	278	359	In the process of being retired Replacement aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Boeing 777-200	5	—	—	42	—	294	336	Regional cabin
Boeing 777-300	12	—	—	42	—	356	398	Regional cabin Launch customer for the type
Boeing 777-300ER	53	—	—	40	32	268	340	Replacing Boeing 747-400. Plus 7 options.
		—	6	53	34	182	275
Boeing 777-9	—	21	TBA					Deliveries 2021 - 2024. This order includes 9 options. First Asian 777X customer
Total	121	69

Fleet gallery

• Hover over each photo to view label detail
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  Airbus A330-300

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  Airbus A340-300

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  Boeing 747-400

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  Boeing 747-8F

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  Boeing 777-200

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  Boeing 777-300

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  Boeing 777-300ER

Special colour schemes

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  Airbus A330-300 (in Oneworld livery)

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  Airbus A330-300 (in Progress Hong Kong livery)

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  Airbus A340-300 (in Oneworld livery)

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  Boeing 747-8F (in Hong Kong Trader livery)

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  Boeing 777-300ER (in Oneworld livery)

• B-KPB10122013LHR (11318967974).jpg

  Boeing 777-300ER (in Spirit of Hong Kong livery)

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  Boeing 777-300ER (in Asia's World City livery)

Passenger fleet plans

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

On 4 August 2010, it was confirmed that Cathay Pacific would buy 30 A350-900s and six more 777-300ERs. 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. On 10 August 2011, Cathay Pacific entered into an agreement with Boeing to purchase four 777-300ER passenger aircraft and eight Boeing 777F Freighters. On 20 January 2012, it was confirmed that Cathay Pacific would buy another six A350-900s. At the 2012 Farnborough Airshow, it was confirmed that Cathay would order 10 A350-1000s and convert 16 A350-900s to the bigger −1000.

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. 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. Premium Economy Class will also be offered on 4-class 777-300ERs and 747-400s from summer 2012. 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. The cargo division ranked fifth in the freight category of the 2008 The World's Top 25 Airlines by Air Transport World. 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)

Aircraft	In Service	Orders
Boeing 747-400F	3	—
Boeing 747-400ERF	6	—
Boeing 747-8F	13	1
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. On 22 June 2006, the airline ordered six Boeing 747-400ERF freighters, delivered in 2008 and 2009. On 31 October 2011, Cathay Pacific took delivery of its first Boeing 747-8F. 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.

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. 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. Architecture firm Aedas is designing Cargo Terminal

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. 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. 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.

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. In January 2008, a new Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPF) was painted in the Asia's world city livery.

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. The aircraft was named Progress Hong Kong, a name that was chosen from a competition by the staff.

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.

Fleet history

File:CX-DC3-VRHDB2.jpg

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.

Cathay Pacific Retired Fleet

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 leased to Pakistan International Airlines from 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
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
Lockheed L-188 Electra	1967