Cathay Pacific Airways is likely to be among the next group of airlines to sign up for the Airbus A380 airliner, with discussions under way to lease aircraft from International Lease Finance (ILFC).
Although the Hong Kong airline is not among the launch customers for the aircraft, it has participated in A380 customer focus group meetings. Speaking to Flight International's sister magazine Airline Business, Cathay corporate development officer Tony Tyler says the airline is having "a good look" at the A380, but has "no desire" to be a launch customer. One option being examined is to take aircraft on operating lease. ILFC chief executive Steven Hazy confirms the US lessor is talking to Cathay about a potential deal.
Industry sources suggest Cathay may be reluctant to sign up as an early customer for the A380 because aircraft taken later in a production run tend to hold their residual values better. In addition, the carrier has suffered problems as launch customer of other types.
Cathay is a major Boeing 747-400 operator, with 19 in service. On some long-haul routes, such as Hong Kong-London, passenger demand is already so high the airline has to fly 747s "wingtip to wingtip" with departures within minutes of each other. Given the likelihood it will require an aircraft larger than the 747-400 later this decade, the Hong Kong carrier could opt to lease some of ILFC's A380s before acquiring its own later. The airline has already cut a deal to lease three A340-600s from ILFC starting later this year.
ILFC holds orders for 10 A380s, including five freighters, and Hazy expects some will be placed with new operators. Cathay says it is "not poised" to make a decision, although "we are always interested to see what's on the market".
Source: Flight International
