US Airways Defers 54 Airbus Deliveries

[Matt Molnar]

2010
A320: Was 18; now 2
A330: Was 7; now 2

2011
A320: Was 30; now 12
A330: Was 3; now 0

2012
A320: Was 24; now 12

2013
A320: Was 0; now 16
A330: Was 0; now 5

2014
A320: Was 0; now 18
A330: Was 0; now 3

2015
A320: Was 0; now 12
A350: Delayed until 2017

[hiss srq]

No suprise there. Expect US to downsize the current domestic fleet as well. Already all the non ETOPS 757's are going to the boneyards and becoming purple people eaters for FedEx. The 737's as the leases end will not be replaced either for the most part. US is hurting badly. They need a partner to dance with soon. I dont know whats happened internally much since I left US but the last meeting at LGA with Robert Isom and Sue Boda I was present in had our next major debt load not coming due till 2012.

[hiss srq]

And also depending on what happens to Mesa with the loss of their flying contract at United because it is going to hurt them look for Piedmont to either continue to reduce fleet size or grow in the event of an eventual demise of Mesa. The Dash-8-100 leases that expire soon will no be reupped because the lease company wants almost double the rate that they are currently used at. With that in mind we could very well see Piedmont flying Dash 8's west of the Ohio River in the future. US though probably will continue to downsize. Right now the 737 fleet looks to be gone around 2013 or so I have heard but this may change since alot of the 400 fleet is bought and paid for. It will be interesting to see what US does though. The dream at least under Wolfe was to make US an entirely Airbus carrier by this time if not Airbus domestic and international and 757's for the skinny stuff that needs cargo capacity and lots of power. So much for that.

[Matt Molnar]

They need a partner to dance with soon. I dont know whats happened internally much since I left US but the last meeting at LGA with Robert Isom and Sue Boda I was present in had our next major debt load not coming due till 2012.

They also secured some new financing today... $95 million in new loans and $180 million in aircraft financing.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... ncing.html

[hiss srq]

I should start betting on USAirways even after getting out of mainline. It looks like US is lining up its ducks for a failure of Mesa as predicted by me months ago. It looks like they are going to be signing a lease for 15 or so Dash-8-2hundo's and they will be basing them in PHX. I am also hearing that PSA is going to try to adjust the pilot contract so that they can fly the CRJ-900 which means at least to me they are preparing to replace Mesa pretty soon. Not to mention Piedmont is looking to hire flight attendants in the near future. Hopefully for sake of those still hanging on at that butcher shop for airline careers this is truth. As far as the reason behind why they are deferring on the Airbus orders, apparently their credit at US will only allow them to finance 60% on airplanes which means a very hefty down payment. Now for the sake of my former co workers if Doug, Scott and Rob could figure out exactly what they are trying to be as an airline they may actually survive long enough to see the economy fully bounce. I do not hold any hope though frankly. I forsee them being parted out eventually like John Madden's thanksgiving turkeys.

[Matt Molnar]

I think John Madden eats his turkeys whole.

[dashtrash]

Madden eats Turduckens.



Seriously though, I don't know what Airways has up its sleeves but Piedmont is definitely being left to wither at the moment. Some of the airplanes will time out in the next few years although not much is being done about replacing them - at least from what I can tell. Supposedly inquiries were made about Mesa's 200s with expiring leases, but it seems typical US fashion is to keep PDT sitting on their hands.

[hiss srq]

I do not think they are going to let PDT die honestly. They are the most valueable of the two wholly owned. I have heard that Farrow is strongly eyeballing the Dash life extension program though with new avionics etc for the birds remaining on property after Jan. I think Farrow and Parker are just waiting to see if Mesa dies because the rates on the 200's will be much better. At least the 300's wont be going anyplace any time soon. I know Tyrolean in europe is dumping their whoe 300 fleet at the moment. Maybe????????? Than again, I hold no faith in any company that reports to Tempe. We will see..... I just don't see them using COlgan a whole lot more. They cost US alot of money, they perform like crap and the Saabs are a passenger inconvienence in the summer with no APU. When I was a LGA ramp controller I had it out with Slaab pilots many times because I wouldnt let them crank one at the gate.