Baywatcher, wouldn't that be nice???
The author of the articles posted by crewsunite is typical of aviation columnists - all parroting each other and whatever airline managements (IATA) want them to say. The A350 has not even begun initial production, so I think the statement about fuel burn is a little premature. As Underpants points out, it surely won't come even close to the same number of seats on the 744. I think the seating will fall slightly shy of the 773ER as well when put in CX configuration.
What we do know is this:
CX does NOT have a young fleet.
21 aging B744s
11 aging A340s
7 older B772s
12 half-decent B773s
7 or more B744BCFs headed elsewhere
and some A330s are starting to show their age as well.
Conservatively, CX has 50+ aircraft to replace in the next 10 years. Accordingly, that is about the number of aircraft orders we have:
10 B748Fs
18 B773ERs
30 A359s
and maybe a few more A330s (but other older A330s are headed to KA)
Hmm, that sure does not look like growth. It looks like aircraft replacement with a slight growth opportunity if you fly them until they die like we are with the B744s right now.
In order to truly grow like the rest of the carriers in the region, we would need another large order, presumably with A380s and/or B748I/Fs. Par usual, we will be in the back of the line like we were with the 773ERs, which they now profess to love. Well, they could have had them back in 2004 if they would just trust that Boeing builds good airplanes.
It seems we are going to trust Airbus on the A350 though. Hmm, have we not had a few negative experiences with new Airbus products?
To be honest, I am surprised the Swires put up with these clowns. Just because they make money does not mean they are good... CX is the only major carrier hubbed out of one of the most lucrative aviation markets in the world. I suppose the old excuse still works for them:
Something about nothing lost, just "missed opportunities". I think those two words were in the DFO's last update wrt our requests next month. I bet they parrot that phrase to each other as an excuse for under-performance.
Just my two pence... OK, off the soapbox.