Cathay Pacific Airways plans to buy 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft for HK$75bn (US$9.6bn).

The A350-900s ordered by Cathay Pacific will be powered by Rolls-Royce XWB engines and be the backbone of Cathay Pacific’s future mid-size wide-body fleet.

The mid-size, wide-body aircraft is capable of flying over 8,000nm and will enable Cathay Pacific to operate the aircraft across its route network, including non-stop flights to Europe and North America.

The new aircraft will be delivered between 2016 and 2019.