Cathay Pacific to buy 777-8 freighters?
30 / 05 / 2023
Ronald Lam, Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is reportedly planning to place an order for approximately six Boeing 777-8 freighters.
The order is worth around $2bn, said Reuters, citing industry sources.
Cathay Pacific, which currently operates 747 freighters – a mixture of -8Fs and -400ERFs, declined to address the order speculation specifically.
The airline told Air Cargo News: “We continue to invest in and grow our fleet with the addition of new, state-of-the-art and fuel-efficient aircraft. We have no specific updates or announcements to make at this time regarding the fleet.”
However, late last year chief customer and commercial officer Ronald Lam said that the airline is in active discussion with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) regarding potential new orders.
The plans concern acquisitions post-2025, but Lam did not say how many aircraft were being discussed.
Cathay has recently benefited from growth in cargo volumes due to increased capacity as a result of the easing of pandemic aircrew quarantine measures.
Boeing launched the new 777-8F in early 2022 with Qatar Airways as the launch customer. Qatar ordered 34 of the aircraft with options for a further 16.
The airframer has since booked more than 50 orders for the model.
In November last year, Silk Way West Airlines finalised an order with Boeing for two 777-8F freighters, with options for two additional aircraft of the same type.
The previous month saw Cargolux finalise an order for 10 777-8F freighters and six options.
The airframer said the 777-8F, which will be part of the B777X family, offers a maximum structural payload of 118 tonnes and a range of 8,167 km
The company said the 777-8F has nearly identical payload and range capabilities as the 747-400F while providing 30% better fuel efficiency and emissions and 25% better operating costs per tonne.
Cathay Pacific free of pandemic shackles but still faces demand challenge
