A Hong Kong court has ruled that Cathay Pacific unfairly fired 18 pilots amid a labor dispute in 2001 and ordered the airline to pay their former employees more than $7 million. The 18 pilots were among a group of 49 fired in July 2001 when Cathay's main pilots' union and management were locked in a dispute over wages and scheduling. The union launched a 'work-to-rule' campaign, discouraging members from working beyond the terms of their contracts. Hong Kong High Court Judge A.T. Reyes said in a ruling that the 18 pilots were unfairly dismissed and wrongfully terminated.

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. has launched a new service to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The new Jeddah service, operating through Dubai on the way to and from Hong Kong, will be operated four times a week using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft in a two-class configuration.

Boeing Co. delivered a 777-300ER (Extended Range) to BOC Aviation and its customer, Cathay Pacific Airways. The airplane is painted in a special oneworld livery to highlight the commitment of Cathay Pacific, as a member airline, to the alliance's 10th anniversary. The Boeing 777-300ER is 19% lighter than its closest competitor, greatly reducing its fuel requirement. It produces 22% less carbon dioxide per seat and costs 20% less to operate per seat. The airplane can seat up to 365 passengers in a three-class configuration and has a maximum range of 7,930 nautical miles (14,685 km). The 777 family is the world's most successful twin-engine, twin-aisle airplane. Fifty-seven customers around the world have ordered more than 1,100 777s. The airplane is the 12th Boeing 777-300ER for Cathay Pacific and brings the airline's 777 fleet to 29 airplanes, which includes 12 777-300s and five 777-200s. The airline also operates 22 Boeing 747-400 passenger airplanes.