Cathay Pacific recycles A340 aircraft at French plant for dismantling

Reported by You T-Ru / Taipei

Cathay Pacific today (19th) announced its most "massive" recycling project to date — the environmentally friendly dismantling and recycling of its retired Airbus A340. By recycling the decommissioned A340 planes, the airline enhances sustainability and reduces waste.

Cathay Pacific took delivery of its first Airbus A340-300 in 1996. The four-engine aircraft provided excellent service on long-haul and regional routes, operating approximately 13,000 flights. This fleet is now being gradually retired. In collaboration with AerFin (UK) Ltd., Cathay Pacific has chosen a workshop in southwestern France to carry out more environmentally responsible dismantling of its retired aircraft.


▲ Cathay Pacific conducts A340 recycling. (Photo / Provided by Cathay Pacific)

Julian Lam, Director of Corporate Affairs at Cathay Pacific, said the recycling process can recover nearly 90% of the aircraft’s weight in materials while minimizing waste to just 10%. The airline's four A340 aircraft were retired in 2015 and first transported to the recycling facility, where they underwent a three-step recycling process. The first step involves draining the fuel and water tanks. Next, parts such as engines and landing gear are removed, carefully inspected, cleaned, and labeled for reuse. Finally, non-recyclable waste is disposed of, while recyclable items such as wiring are recovered and reused. The airframe is completely dismantled and sorted, with components sent to recycling vendors.

Aluminum accounts for up to 40% of the aircraft’s weight and is its primary material. Once melted down, it can be repurposed for industries such as construction — for window and door frames — or for aerospace and automotive manufacturing. This recycling process also helps save the energy required to produce new aluminum from raw materials.

The retirement of the A340-300 is part of Cathay Pacific’s fleet modernization plan, which aims to replace older, less efficient aircraft with newer, quieter, and more fuel-efficient models. The remaining seven A340s will be fully retired by 2017. Cathay Pacific currently operates one of the youngest wide-body fleets globally, with a total of 147 aircraft, and has placed orders for approximately 69 more planes to be delivered by the end of 2024. These include the Airbus A350, which will arrive in the first quarter of 2016.