Cathay Group to add another A330 freighter to Air Hong Kong

Dhaka: Cathay Group has announced plans to expand its cargo fleet, with Air Hong Kong signing a lease agreement for an Airbus A330P2F converted freighter scheduled to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The aircraft will primarily operate on routes to the Chinese Mainland and other regional destinations, providing additional capacity for Cathay Cargo.

The announcement follows a firm order for two more Airbus A350F freighters that Cathay Cargo placed a month earlier as part of its ongoing fleet expansion strategy.

Air Hong Kong, Cathay Group’s all-cargo airline subsidiary and the first freighter operator based in Hong Kong, currently operates a fleet of 14 A330 freighters. The carrier provides express cargo services for DHL Express across regional markets.

According to the group, the newly acquired aircraft will be leased on a long-term basis from Air Transport Services Group through its subsidiary, Cargo Aircraft Management.

Cathay said the additional freighter will support the group’s broader plans to increase cargo capacity and strengthen its regional network.

“The additional capacity offered by Air Hong Kong’s latest A330 freighter will complement Cathay Cargo’s future A350F freighters, providing us with greater agility to build our regional cargo network and making more options available for our freight forwarder partners,” said Dominic Perret, Director of Cargo at Cathay.

Air Hong Kong Chief Operating Officer Agatha Lee said the expansion will help the airline capitalize on the opportunities created by the Three-Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport.

“This marks an exciting chapter for Air Hong Kong as we expand our business to support the ongoing development of the Hong Kong international aviation hub,” Lee said.

Cathay Cargo currently operates a fleet of 20 Boeing 747 freighters and also utilizes belly cargo capacity on the group’s passenger aircraft serving more than 100 destinations worldwide.

The Cathay Group has committed more than HKD 100 billion, equivalent to USD 12.8 billion, toward investments in fleet modernization, cabin and lounge products, and digital systems.

As part of its long-term renewal and growth strategy, the group has orders for more than 100 aircraft, including narrow-body, regional wide-body, long-haul wide-body, and large freighter types.