Cathay just loves those wide bodies
Cathay Pacific Airways will boost operations in Asia with the “intelligent misuse†of long-haul aircraft rather than building up a fleet of single-aisle planes.
The carrier will continue flying wide-body planes on Asian routes as these aircraft would otherwise be idle during the day after making overnight intercontinental trips, outgoing CEO Tony Tyler said in an interview with Bloomberg in Hong Kong.
The airline last year ordered 36 aircraft – Airbus A350s and Boeing 777-300ERs – to expand its fleet.
“A lot of the capacity for these long-haul aircraft will be used in the region,†said Tyler, who will leave Cathay on March 31 to become head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
“What we’ve done over the years, quite successfully, is what we called the intelligent misuse of aircraft.â€
The carrier will transfer some wide-body A330s from its mainline fleet to regional unit Hong Kong Dragon Air as it boosts China services, Tyler said.
The airline may eventually look at adding double-decker A380s, especially if Airbus can make the plane more efficient through the addition of new engines or the introduction of a stretched version, Tyler added.
Ian Jarrett
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