Cathay Pacific in market for new mid-sized widebody planes By Reuters

© Reuters. A Cathay Pacific plane takes off on the airport in Hong Kong, China, March 31, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Picture

SEOUL (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways (OTC:) mentioned on Thursday it was evaluating choices for brand spanking new orders of mid-sized widebody plane, after a latest run of purchases to resume its fleet.

Bloomberg on Wednesday reported Cathay had issued a so-called request for info from Airbus and Boeing (NYSE:) for brand spanking new plane to interchange a few of its older mid-sized widebody jets, representing step one in a attainable buy course of.

“We’re evaluating choices for a flexible, mid-sized widebody plane that may undertake a spread of missions and develop our passenger and cargo enterprise,” Cathay mentioned in an announcement to Reuters.

The airline had first publicly flagged the opportunity of a mid-sized widebody contest in late 2022.

It had 43 A330s with a mean age of practically 15 years in its fleet as of June 30, 2023. Newer technology substitute choices for the planes usually embrace Airbus A330neos and A350s in addition to Boeing 787s.

Cathay final month positioned a agency order to buy six A350 freighters, with the suitable to amass 20 extra, because it replaces its ageing Boeing 747 cargo jets.

In September 2023, it ordered 32 Airbus A320neo and A321neo single-aisle plane, anticipated to be delivered by 2029.

Cathay’s order guide, which stands at greater than 70 plane, additionally contains 21 Boeing 777-9 passenger planes scheduled to be delivered from 2025.

Cathay in August mentioned it aimed to rebuild its capability to pre-pandemic ranges by the top of 2024. In June, its cargo operations had been at 72% of 2019 capability, and passenger capability was 57% of 2019 ranges.