Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways is celebrating the end of its stay at the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage (APAS) maintenance facility in Alice Springs, Australia, with its last aircraft taking off after almost four years.
The last aircraft to depart, an Airbus A330-300, was the first of 76 aircraft to enter the storage facility on July 28, 2020 after an unprecedented pandemic forced Cathay to ground most of its passenger fleet.
The closing of this chapter in Alice Springs means a big step forward for the local Hong Kong airline, as it plans to rebuild its passenger flights to 100 percent of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2025.
“This is a special moment, not only for the Australian team, but also for the brand. Cathay Pacific continues to expand its network and flights, and this was the final piece in getting all of our aircraft flying again. It has been incredible to witness the team's dedication to accomplish this,” said Frosti Lau, Southwest Pacific regional general manager.
After determining that its entire fleet could not remain long-term at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) during the pandemic, Cathay identified Alice Springs in the Australian desert as the ideal location for its aircraft due to its low humidity, large proximity to the ocean and on-site maintenance capabilities.
Reactivation
Once a plan for reactivation was established, the Alice Springs team worked alongside Hong Kong-based Cathay engineers to begin this complex process.
Each reactivation required a six-month lead time to work with the aircraft manufacturer to conduct a technical evaluation, and a customized package of maintenance tasks was developed for each aircraft.
This was followed by up to two months of extensive reactivation work in Alice Springs.
Tasks included landing gear changes, engine operation, structural inspections, lubrication tasks, and functional testing of all aircraft systems and components.
Once reactivated and declared safe for flight, each aircraft was transported back to Hong Kong, where it would then undergo an extensive scheduled maintenance check in a hangar.
cathaypacific.com
