Cathay to phase out A340s and 747s

Hong Kong's all-widebody-operator Cathay Pacific is to phase out part of its fleet of Boeing 747-400s and all of its A340-300s in 2016 and 2017, as part of its fleet renewal plan. The airline announced that it intends to sell six of its B747-400Fs back to Boeing with four of them already parked. Four passenger 747-400s are also to be retired with two of them having been withdrawn from service this month.


The role of dedicated freighter aircraft becomes less important. In the first half of 2014 Cathay carried as much freight in bellies as on dedicated freighters. A problem is over-capacity on the cargo market. Some destinations still need pure freighters, though. Manchester (UK) is an example, however, where Cathay ends a dedicated freighter service after commencing passenger flights at the end of 2014.

Cathay Pacific wants to accelerate the retirement of eleven Airbus A340-300 aircraft, which are primarily flying to Europe, South East Asia, and Russia. Four A340s will be retired by the end of 2015 and the remaining seven by the end of 2017. They are being replaced by Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A350-900s, of which the first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in February 2016. Cathay has 25 A350-900s on order.

Cathay Pacific Group took delivery of four new widebody aircraft during the first six months of 2014: two Boeing 777-300ERs, two Airbus A330-300s. At the moment the airline has 90 widebody aircraft on order for delivery until 2024, including three 747-8Fs, 21 B777-9Xs, 26 A350-1000s, 22 A350-900s, 11 B777-300(ER)s, and 11 A330-300s.

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