Air Hong Kong completes re-fleeting with all A330F fleet

Air Hong Kong (AHK), Hong Kong’s first all-cargo airline and a member of the Cathay Group, has completed a major fleet renewal in partnership with key customer DHL Express. With the arrival of its final A330 freighter and the retirement of its last A300-600F, AHK has successfully concluded a seven-year re-fleeting programme. The carrier now operates an all-Airbus A330F fleet, marking a significant milestone in its nearly 40-year journey, according to an official release from Cathay Group.

The last operational A300-600F in Air Hong Kong’s fleet, registered as B-LDB, completed its final scheduled flight on June 23. According to Flightradar24 data, the 21-year-old aircraft departed Osaka at 22:21 hrs and landed in Hong Kong at 00:25, marking the end of an era for AHK’s A300 operations.

Air Hong Kong began operating the A300-600F on behalf of DHL Express in 2004. Over the past 21 years, the fleet has delivered safe and reliable service, playing a key role in the carrier’s operations and supporting DHL Express. Collectively, the A300-600Fs have transported nearly three million tonnes of express cargo, contributing significantly to Hong Kong’s status as a leading international aviation hub, mentions the official release.

With the completion of its re-fleeting programme, Air Hong Kong now operates a unified fleet of 14 Airbus A330 freighters. This includes 10 A330-300P2F (passenger-to-freighter) conversions, making AHK one of the launch customers and among the world’s largest operators of the type, and four A330-200F freighters.

“The A300-600F has been a stalwart of Air Hong Kong’s fleet and an important part of our story for over two decades. Its contribution to not only our business, but to the Hong Kong international aviation hub as a whole, has been considerable, and we fondly bid farewell to this valued member of our fleet as we enter this exciting new chapter.

“The new-generation A330F brings with it considerable benefits that will enable us to further enhance our operations and services for our customers, and continue to play an important role in the ongoing growth of Hong Kong’s air cargo sector. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, the Cathay Group, our people, our suppliers, and our key customer, DHL Express, for their firm support, which has made this re-fleeting plan possible,” says Clarence Tai, Chief Operating Officer, Air Hong Kong.

Peter Bardens, Senior Vice President for Network Operations & Aviation – Asia Pacific, DHL Express, says: “Balancing our customers and operational needs has always been top of mind for us. Our decision to re-fleet aircraft years ago reflects our foresight to invest in ourselves so that we are ever-ready to support our customers.

“The A300-600F was instrumental to our robust aviation network for many years. As we bid farewell to this valued member of our fleet, we are excited to welcome a new chapter with this new generation of freighters. We are confident that we will continue to deliver excellence in both our service capabilities and sustainability targets.”

Air Hong Kong’s re-fleeting journey began in February 2018 with the introduction of its first wet-leased A330 freighter, marking the start of a seven-year modernisation programme.

Compared with the A300-600F, the newer A330F provides 25% more payload and volume, enabling more cargo to be carried, in particular e-commerce shipments. It also has a longer range capability of 7,400 kilometres, which will help Air Hong Kong continue to grow and has already enabled the airline to expand to new destinations, including Bahrain and Sydney. Meanwhile, its increased fuel efficiency and reduced noise levels will help contribute to Air Hong Kong’s and the Cathay Group’s wider sustainability goals.

Coinciding with the launch of the Three-Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport, the Cathay Group has pledged over HK$100 billion in investments to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as a global aviation hub and elevate the customer experience. As part of this commitment, the Group is adding over 100 new-generation aircraft across Cathay Pacific, Cathay Cargo, and HK Express, including narrowbody jets, regional and long-haul widebodies, and large freighters, the release added.