Cathay Pacific operates a fleet of narrow-body and wide-body passenger aircraft composed of the Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330, Airbus A350 XWB, and Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline also operates a fleet of 20 Boeing 747 freighters.[1][2][3]

Current fleet

Cathay Pacific operates narrow-body, wide-body, twin-engine commercial fleet composed of Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330, Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft[2] and a Boeing 747 cargo fleet.[4] The airline also has more Airbus A320neo, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X aircraft on order.

As of January 2024, Cathay Pacific operates the following aircraft:[1][5][6]

Cathay Pacific fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
F J W Y Total
Airbus A320neo — 8 TBA Some orders to be transferred to HK Express.[7]
Airbus A321neo 12 28 — 12 — 190 202 Originally ordered 16 for Cathay Dragon.[8]
Some orders to be transferred to HK Express.[7]
Deliveries until 2029.[9]
Airbus A330-300 42 — — 39 21 191 251
39 — 223 262
28 265 293
42 265 307 Equipped with regional configuration.
24 293 317
Airbus A350-900 30 — — 38 28 214 280[10]
Airbus A350-1000 18 — — 46 32 256 334[11]
Boeing 777-300 17 — — 42 — 396 438 Launch customer and largest operator.
Boeing 777-300ER 38 — 6 53 34 201 294
— 40 32 296 368
Boeing 777-9 — 21 TBA Deliveries deferred to 2025 or later.[12]
Cathay Cargo fleet
Airbus A350F — 6 Cargo Order with 20 options.[13][14]
Deliveries from 2027.
Boeing 747-400ERF 6 — Cargo
Boeing 747-8F 14 — Cargo
Total 177 63

Special liveries

Cathay Pacific DC-3 Betsy
Betsy on display at the Hong Kong Science Museum.

On 23 April 1996, an Airbus A330-300 (registered as VR-HYD) was painted and delivered in the special 50th Anniversary livery, in celebration of the airline's 50th Anniversary. The aircraft had a special decal placed at the vertical stabilizer. The sticker features a stylized "50". The green band around the nose is removed as well. However, the "Cathay Pacific" wordmark is retained. The aircraft was short-lived with Cathay Pacific, causing it to transfer to Dragonair in July 1996. This is possibly a concept of the new livery of Cathay Pacific, which was not yet released until November 2015.

In 1997, a Boeing 747-200 (B-HIB) named Spirit of Hong Kong, was painted with a special livery, a big traditional Chinese brushstroke character "家" (means family/home), a slogan in traditional Chinese "繁榮進步 更創新高" painted on the left side of the aircraft and a slogan, "The Spirit of Hong Kong 97", painted on the right side of the aircraft, to commemorate the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China. The aircraft was retired in December 1999.[15] 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 depicting a young athlete overcoming a series of challenges to reach his goal. A special motto—'Same Team. Same Dream."—was painted on the left side of the aircraft, and a motto in traditional Chinese ("積極進取 飛越更高理想") was painted on the right side of the aircraft. The aircraft was repainted to the standard livery in December 2003.[16] 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 bears the slogan "The Spirit of Hong Kong 香港精神號". The livery is the result of 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 were painted on the aircraft. The aircraft was withdrawn from service in October 2018 at the expiration of its lease.[17] On 27 June 2017, coinciding with the celebration of Hong Kong's 20th anniversary of handover, Spirit of Hong Kong is also painted on a Boeing 777-300 (B-HNK), but instead of the original Spirit of Hong Kong livery, it is blended with clouds and flowers on the grey band on the fuselage and near the tail under the revised Cathay Pacific livery. It is also the sister aircraft to Cathay Dragon's Airbus A330-300 (B-HYB), which is also painted in the similar livery.[18]

On 5 July 2002, a Boeing 747-400 (B-HOY)—named Asia's World City—carried a special livery, the "Asia's world city" branding, the Brand Hong Kong logotype and the dragon symbol, to promote Hong Kong around the world. The aircraft was repainted to the standard Cathay Pacific livery in December 2008.[citation needed] In January 2008, it was also painted and delivered on the same livery, this time on a Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPF), until it was repainted into the standard Cathay Pacific livery in March 2014.[19]

On 29 August 2006, the airline took delivery of its 100th aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 (B-LAD). For the aircraft acceptance ceremony in Toulouse, the aircraft was painted in a 100th aircraft livery with the slogan "100th aircraft," and the slogan in traditional Chinese "進步精神" painted on the rear of the aircraft. The aircraft was repainted into the standard Cathay Pacific livery in September 2012.[20] The aircraft was named Progress Hong Kong, a name that was chosen as the result of a competition among the staff.[20]

In November 2011, Cathay Pacific 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 was taken from Cathay Pacific's very first 747 freighter, which entered the fleet in 1982. The aircraft was eventually repainted into the revised Cathay Pacific livery in August 2018.[citation needed]

Several Cathay Pacific aircraft have been painted in the Oneworld livery, the first 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, and was retired in March 2017. A second aircraft, an Airbus A330-300 (B-HLU), was painted in the Oneworld livery from September 2009, until it was repainted into the revised Cathay Pacific livery in June 2023, while a Boeing 777-300ER (B-KPL) was painted and delivered in the Oneworld livery on 17 October 2009, until it was repainted into the revised Cathay Pacific livery from October 2017.[21][22] The latter aircraft was withdrawn from service in June 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to its lessor in August 2021 at the expiration of its lease. Five Boeing 777-300ERs (B-KPD, B-KQI, B-KQL, B-KQM & B-KQN) then received the Oneworld livery under the revised Cathay Pacific livery in March, April, September, December 2019 and January 2020 respectively in celebration of the alliance's 20th anniversary in March 2019. However, the Oneworld logo beside the cockpit windows was replaced by the Cathay Pacific logo, as well as the grey band retaining on the fuselage.[23]

Former fleet

Since its inception in 1946, the Cathay Pacific fleet has operated many types of aircraft. The first two aircraft were two World War II surplus Douglas DC-3s, named Betsy and Niki. Betsy (registration VR-HDB), the first aircraft for Cathay Pacific, is now a permanent exhibit in the Hong Kong Science Museum. Niki 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 is now on public view in the car park outside the Flight Training Center of Cathay City.[24] Cathay Pacific was at one time, the largest operator of the Lockheed L-1011 outside of the United States with a fleet of 19 (Delta Air Lines in the U.S was the largest with 71) before being replaced by the Airbus A330-342s in 1996.

A former Cathay Pacific Lockheed L-1011-100 TriStar.
A former Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-200SF.
Cathay Pacific retired fleet[25][26][27][28][29]
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A320-200 3 2021 2023 Former Cathay Dragon fleet.
Never wore Cathay Pacific livery.
Some aircraft transferred to HK Express.
Airbus A321-200 5
Airbus A340-200 4 1994 1996 Leased from AFS before delivery of the A340-300.[30]
Airbus A340-300 15 1996 2017
Airbus A340-600 3 2002 2009
Boeing 707-320C 11 1971 1983
Boeing 747-200B 9 1979 1999
Boeing 747-200F 3 1981 2008
Boeing 747-200SF 4 1992 2009
Boeing 747-300 6 1985 1999 Sold to Pakistan International Airlines
Boeing 747-400 26 1989 2016
Boeing 747-400BCF 14 2005 2019
Boeing 747-400F 6 1994 2016
Boeing 777-200 4 1996 2019
1 The prototype, B-HNL, was donated to Pima Air and Space Museum
Convair 880 7 1962 1975 First jet aircraft type operated by the airline.
1 1972 Crashed as flight CX700Z
Douglas DC-3 Un­known 1946 1961 First aircraft used by the airline.
Aircraft that operated the airline's inaugural flight was donated to the Hong Kong Science Museum.
Douglas DC-4 Un­known 1949 1963
Douglas DC-6B Un­known 1958 1962
Lockheed L-188 Electra Un­known 1959 1967
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 19 1975 1996

References

  1. ^ a b "Aircraft and fleet". Cathay Pacific.
  2. ^ a b "Cathay Pacific to add Airbus A321neo jets to its fleet". 21 October 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Cathay Pacific Cargo". Cathay Pacific Cargo.
  4. ^ "Airline Fleet". Cathay Pacific. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Cathay Pacific Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net.
  6. ^ "Orders and deliveries". Airbus. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Cathay Group orders 32 A320neo Family aircraft". Airbus (Press release). 29 September 2023.
  8. ^ Chua, Alfred (16 July 2021). "Cathay Pacific gears up for maiden A321neo service". Flight Global. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  9. ^ Chatterjee, Rishav (29 September 2023). "Cathay Pacific buys 32 Airbus A321-200neo aircraft for $4.66 bln". Reuters. Bengaluru. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Airbus A350-900 features and seating plan". Cathay Pacific Airways. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Airbus A350-1000 features and seating plan". Cathay Pacific. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Cathay Pacific Delays Boeing 777X Deliveries To Beyond 2025" (Press release). Simple Flying. 21 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Cathay Group orders the A350F". Airbus (Press release). 8 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Strengthening Hong Kong as the world's number one air cargo hub with Airbus A350F freighters". Cathay Cargo (Press release). 8 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Cathay Pacific Retires Spirit of HK 97" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Cathay Pacific Welcomes Arrival of New "Spirit of Hong Kong"" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 17 January 2000. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  17. ^ "Cathay Pacific - The Spirit of Hong Kong". cathaypacific.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  18. ^ "CX unveils new "Spirit of Hong Kong" livery". Business Traveller. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Cathay Pacific holds Open Day for "Asia's World City" Aircraft" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 5 July 2002. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  20. ^ a b "Cathay Pacific's 100th Aircraft Greets the Past" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  21. ^ "Cathay Pacific celebrates Oneworld 10th anniversary with first aircraft in alliance livery" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 12 March 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
  22. ^ "Cathay Pacific Airways 's Photos – Wall Photos". Cathay Pacific. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  23. ^ "Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER OneWorld Livery". Infinite Flight Community. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  24. ^ "Vintage Aircraft Brings the Past Alive at Cathay Pacific Headquarters in Airlines' 60th Anniversary Year" (Press release). Cathay Pacific. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
  25. ^ "Cathay Pacific fleet". airfleets.net. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  26. ^ "The Cathay Pacific Fleet". Cathay Pacific. October 1996. Archived from the original on 4 February 1997. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  27. ^ 馮志亮, 劉伯智, 胡淑芬, 王百賦, 劉俊輝, 龐德礎, 江桐林, 翹首振翅：香港機師手記 (Hong Kong: ET Press, 2004), pp. 188–189.
  28. ^ Danny C.Y. Chan, Hong Kong Aircraft Handbook (Hong Kong: Northcord Transport, 1996).
  29. ^ Gavin Young, Beyond Lion Rock: The Story of Cathay Pacific Airways (London: Hutchinson, 1988).
  30. ^ "Cathay maintains order was timely". South China Morning Post. 9 December 1993.

External links


Media related to Cathay Pacific Cargo at Wikimedia Commons

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