Cathay Pacific (CX) has made a host of changes to its long-haul 2013/14 winter operations that indicate an ongoing move to phase out its B747-400 aircraft. According to the plan, by January 2014 CX will only 11 long-haul services still flown by this aircraft model.
The changes will cause a 1.5 per cent reduction in passenger capacity – the first cut since 2009 – because the B777-300ER, which is being used to replace the B747, is smaller (297 vs 359 seats, typically).
From January 1 onwards, the B747 will only ply the Hong Kong–Johannesburg service four times a week, instead of daily. A B777 will be used on the remaining three days. The same will happen on the daily Hong Kong–San Francisco route, where the B747 will fly three times a week and the other four services will be flown by the B777.
Having dominated the skies for decades, the old-generation B747 is gradually being phased out by airlines around the world that want to switch to more fuel-efficient and lower-maintenance aircraft. Singapore Airlines retired the last of these jumbo jets with a farewell flight last year (see story here), replacing it with the A380. CX, however, has so far held off on the new superjumbo, preferring more frequencies to larger aircraft.
To read a review of the B777-300ER's business and premium economy class, click here and here.
Alex Andersson
