US Airways confirms order for 92 Airbus Aircraft

US Airways has signed a contract with Airbus for the purchase of 92 aircraft, including: 18 A350-800s, 4 A350-900s, 10 A330-200s, and 60 A320 family aircraft. The airline is slated to receive its first A350 in 2014 with deliveries running through 2017. Delivery dates for the newly ordered A330s run from 2009 through 2010. The A320 Family order is comprised of 10 A321s, 40 A320s and 10 A319s with extensive conversion rights within the A320 Family. With this new A320 Family order adding to US Airway's existing backlog of 37 orders for Airbus single-aisle aircraft, the A320 Family delivery stream to US Airways extends through 2012.

"Both the A320 Family and A330 have served us very well, and we look forward to capitalizing on the advantages the A350 XWB will add to our fleet," said Doug Parker, Chairman and CEO of US Airways. "The combination of range, comfort and economics all these aircraft feature will offer our passengers the ideal service they have come to expect from US Airways."

Both America West and US Airways took delivery of their first A320 Family aircraft in 1998. Since that time, and since the airlines have joined forces under the US Airways brand, the airline has become the largest airline customer for Airbus in terms of aircraft ordered and aircraft operated.

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) is Airbus' response to Boeing's 787 Dreamliner which addresses market demand for a medium-capacity long-range widebody family. The A350 XWB is expected to be available from 2013.

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