Cathay Pacific has placed an order for 14 additional Boeing 777-9 aircraft, bringing its order book to 35 of the world's largest twin-engine airplanes.

The Hong Kong flag carrier has ordered the Boeing 777-9s to replace aging 777-300ERs, which means their belly cargo capacity will improve slightly on long-haul routes.

The 777-9 offers slightly more belly cargo volume than Cathay’s current 777-300ERs and A350s, making it a modest upgrade for passenger aircraft cargo.

However, Cathay’s dedicated freighters (747-8F and 747-400ERF) far exceed the 777-9 in both volume and payload—by more than 3x in some cases.

Cathay said the planes are also designed to reduce fuel use and emissions on average by 20% and noise by 40% compared to the airplanes they replace and will enable the carrier to efficiently meet growing air travel demand across key global markets.

"We plan to expand and renew our fleet with the additional 777-9 aircraft, enabling us to continue our rich history of connecting the world with our Hong Kong hub," said Ronald Lam, Cathay Group Chief Executive Officer. 

"Cathay Pacific aims to further strengthen our ongoing partnership with Boeing and leverage the world-class features of the new 777-9 as we strive to become the world's best premium airline."

Cathay Pacific has grown its global network with the Boeing 777 family over the past 30 years. The addition of the latest model, the 777-9, will further reduce the airline's operating costs as it modernizes its fleet and expands passenger and cargo operations on long- and ultra-long-haul routes.

"We are proud to support Cathay Pacific's continued leadership as one of the world's top airlines, and introduce the 777-9 as their future flagship airplane," said Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. 

"This latest order demonstrates the value of the 777-9 and further strengthens the airline's tradition of delivering superb comfort, convenience and connectivity to passengers for years to come."

With a range of 7,295 nautical miles (13,510 km), the 777-9 will allow Cathay Pacific to connect passengers directly between Hong Kong and its global long-haul destinations. 

The 777-9 is best viewed as a high-capacity passenger aircraft with strong belly cargo potential, but not a replacement for freighters.