US Airways Group Inc. is buying 92 Airbus aircraft to update its fleet and prepare for additional overseas flights, says the company.
“The deal provided a boost to Airbus, which outpaced its rival Boeing in terms of orders on the first day of the International Paris Air Show,” according to the Arizona Republic.
Neither Airbus nor Tempe-based US Airways would reveal the price of the agreement, although list prices of the craft would put the total order at US$10 billion to US$11 billion. It is likely, however, that US Airways paid less than that amount because the order was so large.
“Airbus has roared back into contention in the unofficial race to be this year’s biggest aircraft seller, with a burst of orders at the Paris Air Show,” say wire services.
Airbus orders, including commitments, tallied 339 aircraft valued at US$45.7 billion at list prices, and more is set to come, according to the Centre of Asia-Pacific Aviation.
US Airways President Scott Kirby said the decision to pick Airbus over Boeing largely came down to delivery goals that fit better with the company’s phase-out, phase-in schedule.
The airline will phase in new aircraft as it retires the B767 fleet. The updated planes will replace, not expand, the fleet, which accommodates about 360 planes.
US Airways said that 60 single-aisle Airbus A320 family aircraft are set to be delivered from 2010 to 2013.
Airbus says its planes are better than rival Boeing because of its better overhead storage bins, while Boeing promises higher cabin humidity. Both manufacturers boast better seat configuration and comfort.
Report by David Wilkening
