On August 7, Cathay Pacific Airways announced that it has placed an order for five more advanced wide-body Boeing 777-300ER "Extended Range" aircraft, increasing its commitment to a total of 23 of the aircraft type. The five additional Boeing 777-300ERs will be purchased directly from the Boeing Company.

In December 2005 Cathay Pacific made a commitment to acquire 16 Boeing 777-300ERs - the airline's biggest-ever order for new aircraft - through a combination of 12 direct purchases from Boeing and four operating leases through International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). In June 2006, the airline exercised rights for another two of the aircraft type, taking its firm order to 18.

The new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, delivery of which commences in September, will significantly boost Cathay Pacific's capacity and will be used primarily on long-haul and ultra-long-haul routes to Europe and North America. The five additional Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will be delivered in 2011. General Electric's GE90-115B engines will power all 23 of the airline's Boeing 777-300ERs.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Tony Tyler said: "We are pleased to announce the purchase of five more of these advanced aircraft. The fleet expansion is in line with our plan to expand our network and connectivity, in the process further strengthening Cathay Pacific's position as Hong Kong's home carrier and cementing the city's status as a leading international aviation hub. These aircraft represent a very substantial investment and underline our long-term commitment to the continued profitable growth of the airline and to providing the best travel experience for our passengers."

In addition to the commitment for 23 Boeing 777-300ERs, Cathay Pacific is also scheduled to take delivery of another 12 aircraft - four Airbus A330-300s, six Boeing 747-400ERF "Extended Range Freighters" and two 747-400BCF "Boeing Converted Freighters" by 2009.

The airline currently operates a fleet of 106 aircraft including 87 passenger aircraft (24 Boeing 747-400s, 15 Airbus A340-300s, 3 Airbus A340-600s, 17 Boeing 777-200/300s and 28 Airbus A330-300s) and 19 freighters. Together with the 38 aircraft operated by its sister airline Dragonair and the eight freighters operated by Air Hong Kong, an all-cargo joint venture with DHL, the Cathay Pacific Group's combined fleet now totals 152 aircraft. This figure will grow to more than 180 by 2011.