Cathay Cargo to Bolster Fleet with 111-Ton Aircraft

Cathay Pacific's Cargo airline will be getting a brand-new Airbus A350F, expecting it to become a "central element in its future fleet" once its development is completed. 

The gestating A350F is slated to haul payloads up to 111 tonnes up to 4,700 nautical miles, offering "significantly lower cost than any other freighter available today." It will enable Cathay Cargo to serve all heavy markets, even the world's longest freight route between Hong Kong and Anchorage, Alaska. The latest-gen Rolls-Royce Trent-XWB97 engines will offer a 40% reduction in emissions and fuel consumption, even besting their previous iteration with a 20% increase in efficiency. The A350F's large main cargo door should help streamline loading and unloading for standard pallets and containers.

“As we move into 2024, our rebuild journey is gaining momentum. This order marks another major component in our investment for the future," said Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer Ronald Lam. "It reflects Cathay’s confidence in the Hong Kong hub as we look ahead to the opportunities provided by the Three-Runway System.”

“These highly fuel-efficient, next-generation freighters will provide important additional cargo capacity, expand our global network and contribute to our sustainability leadership goals.”

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, was pleased to see the A350F pick up a customer so soon. “There's a new standard in the cargo space and we are gratified that such a savvy global air-cargo operator as Cathay has joined the growing number of reference players in the air-freight industry selecting the A350F.”

“The aircraft will fit seamlessly with Cathay’s existing A350 passenger fleet, while lowering operating costs to a level never before seen in increasingly competitive cargo markets. At the same time, it will bring a very significant reduction in carbon emissions, contributing immediately to sustainability goals.”

FMI: www.airbus.com