Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Julian Moxon/PARIS
US Airways has become the first North American carrier to order the Airbus A321, by converting 34 of its existing orders from the smaller A319 version.
No official announcement has been made by Airbus Industrie or the carrier, but the manufacturer's final end of year sales figures for the first time lists US Airways with 34 CFM International CFM56-powered A321s on order. There has been a corresponding reduction in the airline's A319 numbers from 104 to 70. The A320 order remains unchanged at 50 aircraft.
Although US Airways declines to comment on the A321 deal, senior Airbus officials confirm it, saying that the airline has opted for the new 93t (205,000lb) increased maximum take-off weight (MTOW) version of the A321-200. Airbus has achieved sales for every other model in its product line from North American operators, while the A321 has failed to find a taker as its range had fallen short of transcontinental performance. The increased MTOW extends the range of the 185-seater to 5,500km (3,000nm), allowing non-stop US transcontinental flights.
Trans World Airlines, meanwhile, has confirmed its deal for 50 A318s. The airline also has commitments for another 25 yet-to-be-determined members of the A320 family, plus 75 options. The A318s, and an earlier order for 50 BMW Rolls-Royce BR715-powered Boeing 717s, plus 50 options, appear to have served as a trade-in for 10 deferred R-R Trent 700-powered A330-300s, which have disappeared from Airbus' order manifest.
TWA says the first A318 will be delivered in 2004 to serve 4h-5h domestic routes from St Louis, replacing Boeing MD-83s and increasing frequencies. The first 717 is due for delivery in February, replacing McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s on shorter flights, including to the East Coast.
Source: Flight International
