Late 2027 launch for Cathay’s new first class?

Cathay Pacific hopes to launch its new first class suites “by the end of 2027”, on the also-new Boeing 777-9, although CEO Ronald Lam is not quite ready to circle a date on his calendar.

“We haven’t got a firm schedule yet, but we are in very close conversation with Boeing,” Lam remarked during a media briefing at a recent meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Rio de Janeiro.

For Cathay, the Boeing 777-9 has double-barreled significance.

“First, it is a new aircraft, and it is also about a new first-class product,” Lam stressed, “and that’s why we are telling Boeing how important the aircraft is.”

Cathay is now looking at late 2027 for its first Boeing 777-9 delivery.

For its part, Boeing still intends to begin deliveries for the long-delayed 777X series – which will debut with the 777-9 – in early 2027.

“I think the 777X certification is making progress and is quite close,” Lam said, adding he was “hopeful it is down to just the last mile that needs to be closed before we get to the delivery.” 

That certification testing remains the final hurdle for the  US$20 billion 777X project, which was meant to launch in 2020.

Cathay's new 777-9 first class

The 777-9 will serve as the launchpad for luxurious fully-private first class suites, complementing the Aria Suite business class which is already flying on a series of retrofitted 777-300ERs.

“We’re going to retire the current first class product that we have, and we’ll introduce the completely new leading-class product we’ve been working on, with the 777-9,” says Guillaume Vivet, Cathay’s General Manager of Customer Experience Design.

Cathay's current 777 first class was launched in 2007.

“We are focused on that (2027) date, everybody is working towards that date internally, and that’s when we will launch the new first class product,” Vivet told Executive Traveller earlier this year.  

“And it’s not just the physical aspect... we’re completely reworking the service that's going to surround that, and really deliver that world-class experience in dining (and) the way we interact with our customers.”

A shrinking first class footprint?

Cathay is now flying fewer than ten 777-300ERs with first class, where the cabin has six ‘open suites’ which debuted in 2007.

Going, going, gone: Cathay Pacific's iconic and still much-loved Boeing 777 first class.

And as the airline continues its Boeing 777-300ER overhaul to the latest Aria Suite business class, any 777s with first class will have that cushy cabin replaced by an expanded Aria Suite business class cabin of 45 seats.

The original plan was for those first-equipped 777s to be the last jets to go under the knife.

However, each month that Boeing delays the 777-9 could leave Cathay with a shrinking 777 First network.

“We finished last year with 12 777-300ERs with Aria installed,” Vivet reflected, “and by the end of this year, we’ll be at two-thirds (of the fleet).”

Cathay Pacific's new Aria Suite 777 business class.

In an attempt to keep those 777s with first class flying a bit longer, Cathay has decided to refit all 35 of its 777-300ERs, rather than draw a line at the previously planned 30 jets.

“Given where we are (and) the fleet transitions, we’re going to do all 35,” Vivet says.

Vivet agreed that prior to the arrival of the 777-9 “we’ll have to gradually reduce the number of first class flights… but as we get the 777-9, they will ramp back up.”

Despite its vintage, travellers still hold Cathay's 777 first class in high regard.

Upgrading those additional five 777s will, Vivet said, provide “a bit of flexibility” in dealing with Boeing’s tardy timetable.

“We have the 777-9 coming, (and) we have these (extra five) aircraft, so we can play around a bit.”

Cathay also needs to have the new 777 first class suites certified by aviation safety regulators, both on their own and then for installation on the Boeing 777-9.

“We are working very hard on our schedule at the moment,” Vivet shared.

“That’s why building that flexibility in is important to us, so we can move things around if it makes sense.”

From Halo Suites to Aria Apartments?

An application filed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office in July 2023 raised the possibility that Cathay intended to market its 777 first class as The Halo Suites.

That name was to be used “in commerce on or in connection with” a wide range of applications such as “luxury and first class air transportation services” as well as “frequent flyer and bonus programs for frequent air travellers.”

However, Executive Traveller understands the Halo brand has been shelved.

In its place, we can’t help but ponder... given the airline’s adoption of the Aria Suite moniker on its Boeing 777 and Aria Studio for the new Airbus A330 regional business class, might this premium brand be extended to see Cathay’s 777-9 first class suite promoted as the Aria Apartment?

Also read: Cathay Pacific New York JFK lounge set for late 2026 opening