The Airbus A350 freighter continues to gain traction in Asia. Cathay Pacific Group has placed an order for two additional aircraft, bringing its total commitment to eight A350Fs. The aircraft will be operated by its subsidiary Cathay Cargo, which currently manages a large fleet of Boeing 747 freighters (18 aircraft across the -8F and -400ERF variants). Cathay selected the A350F in December 2023 to meet its future fleet requirements.
“We are pleased to further strengthen our fleet with these additional A350F freighters that will provide greater connectivity at our home hub and more choices for our customers. This strategic, future-ready investment reflects our resolute confidence in our long-term growth prospects and supports Cathay Cargo’s goal of being the world’s best air cargo carrier,” said Ronald Lam, Chief Executive of the Cathay Group.
Cathay Pacific is already a major operator of Airbus’ latest-generation long-haul widebody family, with 30 A350-900s and 18 A350-1000s delivered to date. The airline is also expecting 30 A330-900s from 2028 onward, which will replace its A330ceo fleet.
The new Airbus A350F will offer a payload capacity of 111 tonnes and a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers), positioning it as a natural successor to Boeing’s 777F. It will be based on the A350-1000 platform, featuring the same Trent XWB-97 engines and six-wheel bogie landing gear. However, its fuselage will be significantly shorter, measuring 70.8 meters. The A350F will notably include a large main deck cargo door (MDCD), with an opening 4.5 meters wide and 4.3 meters high, enabling easier loading of outsized cargo.
Cathay’s hub at Chek Lap Kok is the world’s leading air cargo hub, handling just over 5 million tonnes last year. Hong Kong International Airport has ranked first globally for air cargo throughput for 15 consecutive years since 2010.
