Mexicana intends to lease two Airbus A319s as an interim Boeing 727-200 replacement pending a decision on a combined order with Aeromexico for up 100 narrowbody jets.
The airline plans to finalise the A319 lease "around the end of the year". Talks are under way with lessors including CIT, GATX and International Lease Finance.
The aircraft will replace two of Mexicana's 22 727s which are to be returned to owner GE Capital.
"The timing of this is related to the expiry of leases and disposal of two 727s. It's likely we'll take A319s depending on availability from late next year. If Cintra takes a decision before then the lease deal will be stopped," says Ricardo Baston, head of strategic planning at Mexicana.
Aeromexico and Mexican owner Cintra has been in long-term discussions with Airbus and Boeing about a combined order on behalf of both carriers for a mix of either A318 and A319s or Boeing 717s and 737s.
Between them, the two airlines need to replace 90 aircraft - Mexicana requires a replacement for its 727s and 12 Fokker 100s, while Aeromexico wants to phase out its 17 McDonnell Douglas DC-9s and 38 Boeing MD-80s.
While Mexicana is an Airbus customer (it has 16 A320s in its fleet and 12 on order), Aeromexico has yet to purchase an aircraft from the European consortium.
Baston adds that any deal would have to include provision for disposing of the twenty 727s it owns. The carrier also operates 16 International Aero Engines V2500-A1-powered A320s, but has deferred delivery on another eight aircraft.
Over the longer-term the airline is looking for a widebody aircraft to supplement its seven Boeing 757-200s.
Source: Flight International
