Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said Boeing Co needs to remain transparent about any delays in its aircraft delivery schedule in order to let the Hong Kong carrier adapt its plans accordingly.

“We value openness and trust along the way,” Lavinia Lau, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer, said in an interview at a company event in Hong Kong on Wednesday. “For us, it’s important that we keep our communications, and they be very open with us in terms of what is the next step.”

Boeing said late last week that its new 777X widebody aircraft would only enter service in 2026. That’s more than five years behind the original timeframe, forcing customers around the world to reconsider their fleet plans, which often means using older planes for longer.

Lau said she can’t say yet what the implications of the delay will be, and whether it concerns only some aircraft.

Cathay is among a half-dozen Asian airlines to have bought Boeing’s new long-range jet, having placed 21 orders. Singapore Airlines Ltd, Air India and ANA Holdings Inc are also among the marquee customers.

The Boeing 777X will be Cathay’s only aircraft type to eventually fly with a new first class on key intercontinental routes. The plan will play a major role to help the carrier expand as Hong Kong International Airport starts operating three runways from the end of the year.

  - Bloomberg