A330-200''s for US Airways

[chipmunn]

According to Reuters, US Airways also said it filed a motion in bankruptcy court seeking permission to restructure its leases from several financial institutions on as many as 29 A320 family aircraft in its current fleet.

It appears to me that the Company is trying to restructure lease agreements with those parties who are reluctant to lower the lease payment.

If the court grants the motion, the company would have the threat to return the aircraft to the lessor as leverage to lower the lease payments. At this point the lessor would have a choice: Either lower the lease payment to market rates or find a new customer for the returned aircraft.

Chip

 

[AAG2000]

Chip is right--rejecting a lease in bankruptcy doesn't mean that they don't want to keep the plane itself. But with the number of planes--even fairly new ones--sitting in the desert these days, it's pretty good leverage. Leasing companies would rather get slightly less than nothing at all.

 

[AAG2000]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030131/dcf027_1.html
This sounds like great news for US. The A330-200 is a very versatile plane that is well suited to transatlantic routes. At worst, I would imagine that the 332's will replace the 767's. At best, it could mean an increase in international flying if they keep the 767's around for a while.

 

[chipmunn]

What I would like to know is how can the company afford to buy/lease extremely expensive widebody airplanes, but not be able to fund the pilots retirement plan?

Chip

 

[DCAview]

Sounds like a smart move -- and the eventual rationalization of the widebody fleet we've heard so much about. Two things in the release caught my eye, though:

What are the implications of US switching from 37 A320 orders to 19 A320 orders coupled with the statement later on in the release that US wants to reject the leases on up to 29 A320s?

I can't imagine that US would be reconsidering the long-term plan for the Airbuses. Does US plan on turning leased A320s back to the banks and replacing them with new A320s from Airbus? It would also seem that US is planning on keeping the existing Boeing/Airbus narrow-body product mix for some time.

 

[Baret4]

The A330-200 also has a much longer range due to the added center fuel tank. Quantas flew it non-stop from Toulouse to Melbourne Austrailia on a delivery flight.
Aer Lingues flies it non-stop from Dublin to LAX.

Baret4

 

[ITRADE]

This is indeed an interesting development.

Those A-330-200s have some long legs and capacity which better suits US's loads.

I'm not sure if US plans to replace the 767s with the A-332s or just increase heavy lift.

I do think it means that this idea about the Asiana swap is now kaput.

 

[chipmunn]

Bloomberg News reported US Airways declined to provide delivery dates for the orders. The airline also declined to name financial institutions that hold the A320 leases it wants to end. If granted, the motion would let US Airways complete lease restructuring negotiations on its fleet of airplanes, said spokesman David Castelveter.

 

[JFK777]

332 are better then 333's. They have longer range and less capacity. U's 333's are great but they have limited range, and may be a little too large. 332's with Envoy and coach are a very competitive airplane to Europe. Should the need ever come to operate service from the west coast or mod west to Europe 332 can handle it. CAL once ordered 333, before its bankruptcy(II) in 1993, but they could NOT fly from Houston to Europe. Should U ever fly to SAo Paulo or Buenos Aires 332, have the range from PHL and CLT but the 333 probably not. If U ever flies to NRT then U needs a plane not in the fleet. 332 is a smart move by U.

 

[ClueByFour]

How much airplane does a billion dollars buy?

 

[usfliboi]

Chip ! Youre not doubting Dave's leading ability are you? This very very chip unlike for your to say ...

 

[AP Tech]

Well my guess is that now that U will soon be relieved of some debt(ALPA Pension) by the "Judge" they may find some extra cash for this latest venture.

 

[Pacemaker]

The 10 330's equal the number of 767's in our fleet and almost certainly will be replacement, not additional, aircraft.

Recall Dave has said they will be eliminating one widebody type. It'll be the 76.

 

[autofixer]

Could it be the company is attempting to "buy off" the "senior" pilots and gain their support for the pension issue--they will make more money to apply to their new and improved retirement.

This has always been the pilots' track record...I've got mine, now you get yours. I hope that this is not the case, however, history is damning sometimes.

 

[PSA1979]

Just signed up for training for CRAF (Civil Reserve Air Fleet) in Feburary. The company said they needed 100 flight attendants trained and ready to go!