Cathay Cargo Orders Two Additional Airbus A350F Freighters

Airbus has today announced that Cathay Group has placed an incremental order for two additional A350F freighters, expanding their orderbook for the type to a total of eight aircraft. 

Cathay Cargo Airbus A350F Freighter Rendering - Courtesy Airbus

On Wednesday (May 27, 2026), Airbus announced that Cathay Group has placed a firm order with Airbus for two additional Airbus A350F freighters, bring the carrier’s total orderbook to eight of the new-generation cargo aircraft. The A350F will be operated by the airline’s cargo division.  These highly efficient freighters will help further strengthen Hong Kong’s status as one of the world’s leading international air cargo hubs, enhancing cargo connectivity between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and other markets across the Group’s extensive global cargo network.

In Wednesday’s announcement, Cathay Group’s CEO, Ronald Lam, said,

“We are pleased to further strengthen our fleet with these additional A350F freighters that will provide greater connectivity at our home hub and more choices for our customers.  This strategic, future-ready investment reflects our resolute confidence in our long-term growth prospects and supports Cathay Cargo’s goal of being the world’s best air cargo carrier.”

Also commenting on the incremental A350F order, Airbus’ EVP – Commercial Aircraft, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, said,

“Cathay’s continued endorsement of the A350F is another powerful signal that the A350F brings a new generation of freighter capacity and efficiency.  The A350F will fit seamlessly into the airline’s existing Airbus fleet with unrivalled operational and technical commonality, while accelerating the airline’s decarbonisation journey.  We could not be more excited to grow this partnership.”

The eight new A350Fs will complement Cathay Cargo’s fleet of 20 Boeing 747 freighters, including 14 B747-8Fs and six B747-400ERFs.  In addition to freighter capacity, Cathay Cargo provides belly capacity through the Group’s passenger network serving over 100 destinations worldwide.  The Cathay Group has orders for more than 100 state-of-the-art single-aisle, regional widebody, long-haul widebody and large freighter aircraft as part of their comprehensive fleet renewal and expansion plan.

The Airbus A350F Freighter has been designed to meet the evolving demands of the global air freight market.  With a range of up to 4,698 nautical miles (8,700 km) and a payload capacity of up 111 tons, the aircraft facilitates international long-haul operations.   Made from over 70 percent advanced materials, the A350F is 46 tons lighter than competitor aircraft.  Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, the aircraft offers a reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of up to 20 percent when compared to previous generation aircraft with a similar payload-range capability.

The Airbus A350F is the only freighter fully meeting ICAO’s 2027 CO₂ emission standards.  The aircraft will be able to operate with 50 percent SAF at entry-to-service, with the aim for up to 100 percent capability by 2030, as with all Airbus aircraft.  At April 30, 2026, Airbus had received 101 A350F orders from 14 customers worldwide.

Source(s): Airbus, Cathay Group