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Investing.com-- Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (HK:0293) said on Wednesday it had entered a deal to buy at least 14 new Boeing (NYSE:BA) 777-9 aircraft, as the Hong Kong-listed Chinese carrier clocked strong earnings for the first half of 2025.
Cathay said its unit had entered a deal with Boeing for the 14 new aircraft, and had also secured the right to acquire up to seven additional 777-9 aircraft.
This came as the airline clocked an underlying profit attributable of HK$3.65 billion ($460 million) for the first six months of 2025, up from HK$3.37 billion seen a year earlier.
Revenue rose to HK$54.31 billion from HK$49.60 billion, boosted chiefly by higher passenger revenues as travel demand in China and Asia picked up this year.
Stronger travel volumes and lower fuel costs were a key drivers of first-half earnings, Cathay said in a statement.
Cathay said travel demand remained robust, and that the company will continue to add more flights and destinations.
But the firm flagged short-term challenges for its low-cost carrier, HK Express, and warned that bookings were unlikely to return to “normal” levels.
Cathay declared an interim dividend of HK20 cents per share.
The firm’s purchase of more Boeing aircraft comes amid improving trade ties between China and the U.S., after they agreed to slash their respective trade tariffs earlier this year.
China had threatened to restrict purchases of U.S. planes over Washington’s steep tariffs against the country.