[cwoodward]

The aircraft that will be delivered starting late 2026 will be primarily used for short and mid haul flights to China and around Asia Pacific region and HK Express.

These aircraft will join the 32 Airbus A321neos that are already progressively being delivered meaning that the fleet will double in size. It is not yet been revealed how the order will be broken down between the A321neo and A320neo.

Cathay Pacific CEO Ronald Lam said yesterday

“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. 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.”

“As we strive towards achieving our vision of becoming one of the world’s greatest service brands, we remain committed to continuously investing in our customer experience. These aircraft feature the latest technological enhancements to provide a quieter, more comfortable and more fuel-efficient journey for our customers.”

It seems likely that the A321 neos will go to Cathay as the A321neo carries up to 244 passengers (the Cathay cabins are unlikely to carry more than about 200 pax across 3 classes). With its maximum range of over 4,600 nmi (7,440 km) this neo has the ability to serve as far as such Australian destinations as Perth, Brisbane and Perth.

This new derivative of the A320 offers new and more efficient engines, combined with airframe improvements and the addition of winglets (called Sharklets by Airbus) and importantly delivers fuel savings of about 15%.

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[christ]

I am not sure this is good news as Cathay needs to SEVERLY drop its prices if it is operating an AA domestic first product v a flat bed. Cathay charge more than all and so why would you go Cathay for emeriates with an a380 to bangkok and pay twice the price with a regional product.

I feel Cathay will live to regret as most go for wide bodies intra asia in business and this will make them even less competitive. So bangkok – Thai, Emirates , HK Airline , Ethiopian with a flat bed.

Seoul between Asiana and Korean are mostly 777 or 380.

I think Cathay will join malaysia airlines with poor business and i think will suffer!

[cwoodward]

I don’t altogether follow your rational or logic on this Christ.

There has been for many decades been a huge thirst from around Asia for flights to HKG and Cathay is in a position to ride this demand

Currently Cathay are filling 90% and often cannot meet the economy demand this at prices very profitable to the airline. Of course most of the demand is and will continue to be for economy and will continue to be so.
Of course prices will drop a tad going forward but so do costs per passenger mile if operating the latest smaller airbusses. I have dozens of times traveled to Bangkok in business and have never once used the flat bed and to be honest I don’t recall anyone else using it- although over the years of course it is used by a few. Would I pay more for a flat bed to Bangkok,emphatically not and neither would anyone else that I know in HK. From long-haul possibly.

Cathay have a huge fleet of A330s where the business class is being refitted and who will continue to fly to major hubs along with a mix of B777s and A350s.
To compare Cathay with small broke Malaysian Airlines is a very long stretch Christ and rather like comparing a street money lender to HSBC.

With the aircraft and seating flexibility that the group can as needed now employ on shorter haul routes Cathay has absolutely made the correct fleet decision here that will well cover all market sectors while also minimising seat per mile costs.

In my view Cathay have done well to leave the chest pumping and costly headline grabbing flat bed antics to the likes of Singapore and Emerates while they get on with offering the consumer the choices.

[AndrewinHK]

@cwoodward I think all that Christ was pointing out is, if you are presented with a premium price which often CX charges on routes to BKK and other places, you would expect a long haul seat, which of course you get with EK/TG, and others to BKK. I am sure if you were presented with the choice of long haul J or regional J even if on a shorter haul routing, you would select the long haul J seat. In economy of course it is less relevant. I expect CX will use these aircraft to mostly secondary city pairs in APAC and likely on routes and at times with less premium demand, I have no issue with this, I like the 320/321 neo, nice aircraft.

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