In a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange earlier on Wednesday, Cathay said January-June net profit jumped nearly 15-fold to HK$347 million (26.7 million pounds) from just HK$24 million a year ago, when earnings were squeezed hard by high fuel prices and weak cargo demand.

That was well above a mean estimate of HK$153 million from three varied forecasts by analysts polled by Reuters.

(This version of the story corrects headline and first paragraph to say 90 aircraft on order for delivery, not that Cathay has bought 19 aircraft)

(Reporting By Donny Kwok; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree)