HONG Kong's Cathay Group has placed a firm order with Airbus for 30 A330-900 widebody aircraft. The order follows a thorough evaluation by the airline under its mid-size widebody fleet renewal programme.

The newly ordered aircraft will enable Cathay to modernise its earlier generation A330-300 fleet and expand its operations on high capacity regional routes. The aircraft will also offer flexibility to serve longer range destinations. As with all A330neo aircraft, the fleet will be powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.

Ronald Lam, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer said, "As Cathay completes the final stretch of its rebuilding journey, we are turning the page to modernisation and growth, both in terms of scope and quality. We are delighted to announce this new order for state-of-the-art A330neo aircraft."

Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft said, "This latest order from Cathay, one of the world's most experienced A330 operators, is a major endorsement of the latest generation A330neo."

The A330-900 can fly 7,200 nm/13,330 km non-stop and features the award-winning Airspace cabin, offering a superior flight experience. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A330neo is already able to operate with up to 50 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with the aim to increase this to 100 percent by 2030.

At the end of July, the A330 Family had won 1,805 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide, with 1,469 aircraft in service on long, medium and short haul routes around the world.