America West is looking at adding Airbus Industrie's new A318 and possibly an uprated A321 to the carrier's expanding fleet of A319/A320 aircraft.
The Phoenix, Arizona-based carrier is understood to be discussing an order for between 15 and 30 A318s including options, according to industry sources. America West declines to comment other than to say deliveries of A319s and larger A320s already ordered will be completed by 2001.
America West has taken delivery of seven of the 22 International Aero Engine V2524-powered A319-100s ordered. It has options on 40 jets. It also operates 34 similarly powered A320-200s and has 10 more 150-seat aircraft on order.
Interest in the smaller 107-seat A318, an A320 family shrink, is thought to be related to finding a replacement for America West's 17 remaining Boeing 737-200s.
The carrier also operates 44 737-300s and has completed a 5.5 year sale-and-leaseback with Boullioun Aviation for five of the aircraft and one of its 13 757-200s.
The carrier is studying the A321, but is understood to be linking any order to IAE proceeding with development of the uprated A7 version of the V2500. The A7 is aimed at carriers operating in hot-and-high environments, like Arizona.
Airbus, meanwhile, has added a third higher gross version to the planned A318 family in response to airline feedback, particularly from North America, it says. Operators have the option of a 59t (130,00lb), 61.5t and a baseline 59t maximum take-off weight aircraft.
Source: Flight International
