Cathay Almost Died in Covid — Now It's Spending Billions

Cathay Pacific nearly didn't survive Covid. Now it's pouring HK$100 billion (US$13 billion) into a fleet overhaul to reclaim its place among the world's great airlines. But the recovery isn't finished — I tried flying one of its oldest jets, a 23-year-old A330-300, in economy from Hong Kong to Bangkok to see how the old product holds up and what's coming to replace it. On the order book: 14 Airbus A321neos, 30 A330-900neos to replace the ageing A330-300 fleet, and 35 Boeing 777-9s as the future flagship — with more widebodies expected to be announced. We also stop by The Pier, Cathay's flagship business lounge at HKG, before boarding. Flight #: CX619 Aircraft: A330-300 Registration: B-HLS Seat: 40A Subscribe for weekly flight reviews and aviation deep-dives across the Asia-Pacific region.