A330 Developments
Jul 30, 2019 | 7:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: CX Life Time,TG,
Posts: 344
A330 Developments
According to Planespotters the Dragon is due to receive HLN/HLO/HLT/HLU/HLV. When this done CX will only have 3 (HLD/HLF/HLH) of the 33Ps left. Hopefully HLD will be returned to lessor shortly and HLF/HLH retired in the coming 18 months. Are CX responding to the general (passenger and crew) dislike of this model?
As far as the Dragon is concerned hopefully this will allow retirement of their oldest relics.
As far as the Dragon is concerned hopefully this will allow retirement of their oldest relics.
Jul 30, 2019 | 7:18 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,911
Most passengers have no idea what aircraft they are flying in. We on the FT are in the few% (2%?) who notice or care.
Jul 30, 2019 | 10:07 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: CX, SQ, QF
Posts: 337
According to Planespotters the Dragon is due to receive HLN/HLO/HLT/HLU/HLV. When this done CX will only have 3 (HLD/HLF/HLH) of the 33Ps left. Hopefully HLD will be returned to lessor shortly and HLF/HLH retired in the coming 18 months. Are CX responding to the general (passenger and crew) dislike of this model?
As far as the Dragon is concerned hopefully this will allow retirement of their oldest relics.
As far as the Dragon is concerned hopefully this will allow retirement of their oldest relics.
Jul 30, 2019 | 11:00 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA SL, CX GO, IHG Dia Amb
Posts: 822
Interesting and thanks for the update. I don't know if anyone has run the numbers against A350 arrivals/planned 77W returns to lessors but I do wonder if this will leave CX short of regional frames in the not too distant future? If so, then CX's replacement plans seem to me one of the more interesting short haul fleet selection decisions around. If the decision were based primarily on the economics of short haul passenger ops alone then presumably the 787-10 would be a front runner. But throw in CX's relatively large freight ops and the benefits of fleet commonality and I wonder if "regional" versions of the A350 or retaining 77Ws would be in the mix.
Jul 30, 2019 | 11:24 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 547
Jul 31, 2019 | 12:07 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: China
Posts: 1,646
My guess is that they will reconfigure the long haul A330 to regional seating, replacing with A350 on the Oz/ ME/ India routes.
So as A350 come in, retire the oldest A330, and replace with reconfigured A330 already in the fleet.
So as A350 come in, retire the oldest A330, and replace with reconfigured A330 already in the fleet.
Jul 31, 2019 | 2:53 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Silver, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 3,415
According to Planespotters the Dragon is due to receive HLN/HLO/HLT/HLU/HLV. When this done CX will only have 3 (HLD/HLF/HLH) of the 33Ps left. Hopefully HLD will be returned to lessor shortly and HLF/HLH retired in the coming 18 months. Are CX responding to the general (passenger and crew) dislike of this model?
As far as the Dragon is concerned hopefully this will allow retirement of their oldest relics.
As far as the Dragon is concerned hopefully this will allow retirement of their oldest relics.
Jul 31, 2019 | 4:53 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: CX Life Time,TG,
Posts: 344
See https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Cathay-Dragon.
Of the 10 oldest A330s still active 7 are with the Dragon and 1 with CX. The 2 oldest with the Dragon have been flying for over 26 years so surely time to go.
Of the 10 oldest A330s still active 7 are with the Dragon and 1 with CX. The 2 oldest with the Dragon have been flying for over 26 years so surely time to go.
Jul 31, 2019 | 5:03 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: CX, SQ, QF
Posts: 337
The A330-900neo is not a good fit for CX's short haul network because it is heavier than the A330ceo. The neo's sweet spot is longer medium-long haul routes where the A350 is even stronger again. The 787 may be a better fit for CX short haul but I'm not sure how the numbers would stack up taking into account capex vs the "intelligent misuse" approach of just deploying surplus long haul aircraft on short haul routes when not operating long haul. I'm also not sure if CX has enough long haul frames for this approach taking into account the A350s on order net of 330/77W retirements. There's also the possibility of future performance enhancements to the A350 (including weight reduction, RR ultrafan if and when it materialises etc) to make them better short-haul performers.
Jul 31, 2019 | 10:57 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: SFO/HKG
Programs: ex-UA 1K, AA EXP, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 543
The A330-900neo is not a good fit for CX's short haul network because it is heavier than the A330ceo. The neo's sweet spot is longer medium-long haul routes where the A350 is even stronger again. The 787 may be a better fit for CX short haul but I'm not sure how the numbers would stack up taking into account capex vs the "intelligent misuse" approach of just deploying surplus long haul aircraft on short haul routes when not operating long haul. I'm also not sure if CX has enough long haul frames for this approach taking into account the A350s on order net of 330/77W retirements. There's also the possibility of future performance enhancements to the A350 (including weight reduction, RR ultrafan if and when it materialises etc) to make them better short-haul performers.
I agree the smaller 787 would be better for exclusively short haul flying but CX's advantage is the ability to utilize their long haul aircraft on short haul return trips so that will probably be unlikely. Given the number of stand by passengers/staff travel I've noticed, it's not too hard to fill up the aircraft.
Jul 31, 2019 | 11:42 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: New York, NY - USA
Programs: CX Diamond (DM)
Posts: 353
What's the logic behind the registration number/identifier scheme? Is that set by Cathay or the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department? And on that note, does anyone know where Cathay registers and domiciles their aircraft? Are they owned by companies in Hong Kong? Registered in Hong Kong? Or some mysterious Caribbean island with questionable banking regulations? hehehehe....
Aug 1, 2019 | 12:01 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 558
What's the logic behind the registration number/identifier scheme? Is that set by Cathay or the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department? And on that note, does anyone know where Cathay registers and domiciles their aircraft? Are they owned by companies in Hong Kong? Registered in Hong Kong? Or some mysterious Caribbean island with questionable banking regulations? hehehehe....
International registries are allocated a letter to identity where an aircraft is registered. So USA is N, France is F and so on. The state controlling the registry then has flexibility on what goes after the initial letter. The USA and Russia use numbers, most other places use either three or four letters.
Cathay aircraft are registered in Hong Kong and the format for a Hong Kong registration is the letter B followed by a dash then three letters. For simplicity most airlines will ask for a cluster of sequential letters for different fleets. It doesnt always work but it makes it easier to identify which sub fleet is being talked about in meetings etc.
Where aircraft are owned can be very complicated indeed involving leasing , mortgages, holding companies etc etc. I have no idea how Cathay sets that up. [\thread drift]
Aug 1, 2019 | 12:09 am
#15
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