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Cathay Pacific is set to expand its European routes in 2025, continuing a long tradition of connecting Hong Kong with major cities across the continent. The airline first launched flights to London in 1980 and has since added destinations such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Manchester, Paris, Rome, and Zurich. The Boeing 747s initially dominated these routes before being replaced by Boeing 777-300ERs and more recently by Airbus A350 aircraft.
The Airbus A350 fleet, which Cathay began operating in 2016, now includes thirty A350-900s and eighteen A350-1000s. Despite some setbacks, including a recent grounding due to engine issues on September 2, 2024—when a Zurich-bound flight experienced an engine fire—the fleet has been pivotal for Cathay's operations. Following inspections and repairs on fifteen aircraft needing fuel line fixes after the incident, all planes were swiftly returned to service.
Cathay Pacific's European services in 2025 will predominantly use the A350-900 model. "Cathay Pacific found 15 planes that needed fuel line repairs following the in-flight failure of an engine," reported Reuters about the grounding.
