Trans World Airlines is negotiating with Boeing for up to 24 new MD-83s, which could keep the endangered Long Beach production line open until 2000.
The line was scheduled to shut down in mid-1999 with the delivery of the last MD-83 to TWA. All eight of the current backlog are on order for TWA, says Boeing, which plans to deliver six over the remainder of 1998 and the last two in early 1999. The new orders, if confirmed, would see production continue throughout 1999 with delivery of most of the aircraft in 1999 and some in early 2000.
TWA operates 67 MD-80s. The new negotiations came to light when the airline reported the talks in a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It also warned that TWA stands to post "significant" losses for the first quarter of the year.
"We don't have a fully signed and sealed agreement - it's certainly not a done deal," says Boeing, but adds that they would be new aircraft.
The SEC filing also confirms that the airline's nine-year order for up to 20 Rolls-Royce Trent-powered Airbus A330s still stands, with deliveries scheduled in 2001 and 2002. TWA would face an $18 million bill if it cancelled the aircraft, but has not yet secured financing for them should deliveries go ahead.
Source: Flight International
