Cathay Pacific Expands Future Flight Possibilities

Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airlines recently announced in a press release that they have decided to purchase another five aircraft. This purchase will allow for further expansion on flights from Hong Kong to places across Europe and North America. The purchase agreement is for five Boeing 777-300ER's aircraft. This is in addition to previous orders of twelve aircraft ordered directly from Boeing in 2005, and a further four currently leased. The new Boeing 777-300ER allows Cathay Pacific to accommodate up to 365 passengers, and fly nonstop for nearly 8,000 nautical miles. These five new aircraft are worth nearly 1.4 billion US dollars.

Cathay Pacific CEO Tony Tyler had the following to say at a recent press conference, ""This fleet expansion is in line with our plan to expand our network and connectivity, in the process further strengthening Cathay Pacific's position as Hong Kong's home carrier and cementing the city's status as a leading international aviation hub," and "These aircraft represent a very substantial investment and underline our long-term commitment to continued profitable growth of the airline and to providing the best travel experience for our passengers." Cathay Pacific continues to desire to expand around the globe, and this purchase of an additional five aircraft will allow the airline to do so.

About Cathay Pacific: Cathay Pacific Airlines has been in existence since just after World War II. Founded by an American and Australian air force pilot, the airline was designed to allow for safe transport in the newly found nation of Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific has a very strong tradition and is widely recognized as one of the finest airlines flying today. Today, the airline operates over 100 aircraft, and is a member of the OneWorld airline alliance. Today, the airline serves over 100 destinations worldwide. The airline runs a sole hub in Hong Kong, but operates many focus cities, such as Taiwan, Singapore and Bangkok.

About the Boeing 777-300ER: The Boeing 777-300ER is the largest aircraft of the 777 family of wide-bodied aircraft. The aircraft is nearly 245 feet long and 212 feet wide. Able to fly over 8,000 nautical miles allows the aircraft to fly from Hong Kong to nearly anywhere in the populated world. The 777-300ER can carry over 400,000 pounds of fuel and cargo, allowing for airlines to operate very profitable routes with ample room for cargo in the underside of the aircraft. Since the aircraft has only two engines, the ability to operate on a single engine is critical. Tests have shown the aircraft can fly over six hours on a single engine. The 777 is a very safe aircraft, benefiting from being the first aircraft designed entirely on computer systems.