Cathay Pacific CEO not in market for Airbus A380s

Cathay Pacific CEO not in market for Airbus A380s Citing limited range and cargo capacity, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways officials said the firm does not plan to order any of the new Airbus A380 jetliners in the immediate future.
   Tony Tyler, Cathay chief executive officer, told Sueddeutsche Zeitung last week that his firm could only consider purchasing the massive double-decker plane for its transpacific routes if Airbus offers a longer version of the plane or a model with a longer range.
   Hong Kong's flagship airline, Cathay is considered a key customer by both Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing in Asia, with the airline's purchasing decisions seen as often influencing equipment investment choices of other Asian airlines.
   Tyler said his firm is still considering new purchases of either the Airbus A350 or the Boeing 787 for its transpacific routes.
   On Nov. 8, Cathay announced its largest-ever direct-purchase commitment for new aircraft, placing firm orders for 10 Boeing 747-8 Freighters and a further seven Boeing 777-300ER passenger planes. The deal — estimated at $5.2 billion — also gave Cathay future purchase rights for another 14 of the 747-8 freighters.
   Cathay operates 19 Boeing freighters and before the new deal had commitments for six 747-400ERFs and two 747-400BCFs for delivery by 2009. Cathay said the purchase of the new 747-8F freighters would allow it to begin a phased withdrawal of its fleet of seven older, less fuel-efficient Boeing 747-200F 'Classic' freighters by 2012.
   The passenger plane orders under the deal now bring Cathay's total firm commitment for the 777-300ER to 30 aircraft for delivery by 2012, the largest such commitment to the model by any Asian airline.
   Under terms of the deal, the 17 planes are set for delivery from 2009 to 2012.
   Cathay's operates a total fleet of 110 planes comprising a nearly even mix of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. It is the fourth-largest operator of the Boeing 747, with 24, and the single-largest operator of the Airbus A330, with 29 of the planes in service.