Cathay Pacific Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for 32 single-aisle aircraft, according to Airbus China on Wednesday.
The A321neo aircraft will be operated by Cathay Dragon, the regional carrier of the group, on services linking Hong Kong home with destinations across Asia.
"Airbus is proud to have been selected to supply Cathay Dragon's future single-aisle fleet. This is another major endorsement of the A321neo as the aircraft of choice in the middle-market segment," said John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer for customers.
Cathay Dragon is an all Airbus operator, with a current fleet of 23 A320 Family aircraft and 24 widebody A330-300s. It also operates 37 A330-300 aircraft, making it the largest A330 operator in the Asia-Pacific.
"These new aircraft will allow us to add new destinations in the network, increasing frequency on some of our most popular routes and expand our network in the region," said Rupert Hogg, Cathay Pacific chief executive officer and Cathay Dragon chairman.
The A320 family is a popular single-aisle product line and comprises four models with seating ranging from 100 to 240. To date, the family has gained more than 13,200 orders, and more than 7,700 aircraft have been delivered to 400 customers and operators worldwide.
The A321 is the largest member of the A320 family and seats up to 240 passengers.
