GUY NORRIS / PHOENIX
Carrier puts delivery date back by three years to seek fresh funding but is still committed to PW6000 engine
America West has been forced to slip delivery of 15 Airbus A318s by three years to 2006-07 as part of its recent financial restructuring plan, but remains committed to the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 engine.
"We're still sticking to the 15 we have on firm order. There are no plans to change that," says executive vice-president and chief financial officer Bernie Han. "And we're sticking to PW6000 as well."
Although the PW-powered A318 programme has been delayed by 30 months to mid-2005, the Phoenix-based carrier says it would have had to slip the timetable anyway as part of negotiations completed earlier this year over a $429 million Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) loan, supported by a $380 million US government loan guarantee. "The government was concerned we had no financing for those aircraft," says Han, who says the search for fresh A318 funding is probably expected to start next year.
Before the onset of the ATSB restructuring and the P&W delay, America West had been due to take all 15 A318s, two additional A319s and eight A320s between 2003 and 2004. The revised plan defers the completion of the A318 and A319 deliveries to the end of 2007, but also includes the addition of 17 A320 family options for delivery between 2006 and 2008. The airline is also confirming purchase rights on another 25 A320 family aircraft for delivery in 2005-08. One more A319 is expected to be acquired this year and two in 2003.
Han says the restructuring represents confirmation of many A320 options already booked with Airbus, and does not necessarily signify a swing towards Airbus for its longer-term Boeing 737/757 fleet replacement plans. He says the 737 and Airbus A320 families will be considered.
The airline is flying 10 737-200s, having just parked two -200s, as well as continuing to operate 39 737-300s, 13 757-200s, 33 A319s and 38 A320s. The airline has stabilised the fleet at around 140 aircraft following the recovery from the 11 September attacks after which it cut the fleet by 11 aircraft, reduced flights by 20% and furloughed 179 pilots.
Source: Flight International
