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Cathay Pacific

HONG KONG: Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said on Sunday it had agreed to lease a new Airbus Industrie A340-300 from the International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC) for five years from Janauary 2001 with an option to extend.

The de facto flag carrier of Hong Kong said in a statement the new aircraft would increase the number of A340-300s in the airline's operating fleet to 15.

Cathay currently operates a fleet of 62 aircraft, including Boeing BA.N and Airbus models.

The ILFC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group Inc, specialises in leasing and remarketing commercial jet aircraft to airlines around the world.-Reuters