Cathay Pacific says it intends to purchase up to 32 more Airbus A321neo and A320neo single-aisle aircraft with the intention of growing the Hong Kong-based airline’s presence in mainland China and across Asia.
The airline group placed an initial order for 32 A321neo aircraft in 2017 and has so far taken delivery of 13 of those planes. Chief executive Ronald Lam said he was impressed with the fuel efficiency of the planes and the improved passenger experience they offered.
The new order, which has not yet been formally announced or published on Airbus’ public record of orders and deliveries, will bring the number of new aircraft deliveries for Cathay Pacific up to 70 planes by 2029.
In a statement, Cathay Pacific said it could order both the A320neo and the stretched A321neo, with the order to be split between the full-service mainline brand and its budget subsidiary HK Express.
Cathay Pacific did not disclose the aircraft mix it planned to order or how the aircraft would be distributed between the two airline brands.
As these aircraft are intended primarily for regional routes, it looks like Cathay Pacific will be ordering the standard configuration of the A321neo and not the long-range or ultra-long-range versions.
On Thursday, Lam said the proposed order showed Cathay Pacific’s longterm commitment to Hong Kong.
“We are committed to investing in the long-term future of the Group and the Hong Kong international aviation hub, which is expected to grow exponentially with the operation of the Three-Runway System,” Lam commented.
“These aircraft models have been serving Cathay Pacific and HK Express well, allowing us to strengthen the expansion of our Chinese Mainland and regional network for our customers.”
