Cathay Pacific puts cost-management measures in place as high fuel prices, economic uncertainty hit business
Given the persistently high price of aviation jet fuel, the retirement of the Boeing 747-400 fleet will be speeded up. The airline currently operates 21 747-400 passenger aircraft but three of these will now be retired this year, with five more leaving in 2013 and one more in early 2014, which will bring that fleet down to 12 aircraft.
In the cargo fleet, Cathay Pacific currently operates 25 wide-body freighters, including five new, fuel-efficient Boeing 747-8Fs. As it takes delivery of three more 747-8Fs this year and two next year, the airline will take three Boeing 747-400BCFs out of service this year as a near-term capacity-management measure.