 US Airways has confirmed an agreement that it signed at the Paris Air Show in June to buy 92 aircraft from Airbus. These include 32 wide-body and 60 A320 narrow-body aircraft.
The airline executed a purchase agreement for 22 A350 XWBs in both the -800 and
larger -900 series configuration. This allows for modest international expansion or
replacement of existing older technology aircraft should market conditions warrant.
The airline will take delivery of the first A350 XWBs in 2014, becoming the North
American launch customer for the fleet type. Purchase rights for additional aircraft
are included, allowing for the eventual retirement of all other wide-body jets and
leaving the airline with a single intercontinental fleet type of A350 XWBs.
The airline also executed a purchase agreement for 10 A330-200 aircraft with
deliveries starting in 2009 and flexibility to convert to A330-300 or longer range
A340s. These deliveries will facilitate the eventual retirement of US Airways' B767
fleet.
A third purchase agreement was executed for 60 narrow-body aircraft, including 10
A319s, 40 A320s and 10 A321s, with conversion rights. Narrow-body deliveries,
including 37 aircraft from a previous purchase agreement, run from 2008 through
2012. Classic Boeing 737-300/400s will be eliminated from the fleet as the A320s are
delivered. The narrow-body fleet count is expected to remain stable.
US Airways CEO and Chairman Doug Parker said, "We are very pleased to have cemented
our order with Airbus and look forward to continued success as we add these new
safe, efficient and comfortable airplanes to our fleet. Our employees will benefit
from new, state-of-the-art aircraft in which our customers will receive the great
service they deserve and expect."
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