America West Airlines Increases Airbus Contract
America West Holdings
Corporation announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, America West
Airlines, Inc., has agreed on a term sheet to amend its 1999 Airbus
purchase contract.The new agreement would call for the airline to acquire
22 Airbus A320 family aircraft (a mix of A320s and A319s), all powered by
IAE V2500 engines from International Aero Engines. Of the 22 aircraft, 17
(10 A320s and seven A319s) would be purchased directly from the
manufacturer and five would be leased from various lessors. America West
plans to take delivery of the five leased aircraft in early 2005, and the
remaining 17 aircraft would be purchased in late 2005 and 2006. The
additional 22 aircraft would be used by the airline to meet its growth
targets of 8 to 10 percent in 2005 and 2006.
"We are pleased to announce we've reached an agreement with Airbus that
allows us more flexibility as we plan for future growth," said Chairman
and CEO Doug Parker. "The challenging industry environment continues to
present opportunities for the low cost sector, and we believe America West
has significant potential to capitalize on these opportunities."
In the context of this incremental order, America West also secured
extensive flexibility from Airbus with respect to its existing A318 order,
allowing the airline to better react to market conditions by enabling it
to amend its 15 A318 delivery positions to A319s and A320s, if it so
desires, or to no additional aircraft under certain conditions.
Fourteen of the 22 aircraft would be A320s configured with 12 first class
and 138 main cabin seats; the eight remaining aircraft would be A319s
configured with 12 first class and 112 main cabin seats.
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