AA in talks with Airbus..

[Delta777LR]

AA has been in the talks with Airbus of ordering 100 narrowbodies to replace the MD-80s and 757s according to bloomberg

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-22/american-said-to-be-in-talks-for-100-airbus-single-aisle-planes.html

[Spunker]

Say it isn't so! Maybe Boeing will get their head out of the sand now and start coming up or announce something.

[hiss srq]

I do not see it happening. It's more than likely a gimmick to get Boeing to give them the same sweetheart deal they gave Alaska for the 739ER.

[T-Bird76]

AA was an Airbus customer already. The news out of the Paris Airshow is that airlines are paying very close attention to planes that are highly fuel efficient. AA need narrow bodies now...not years from now. If Boeing can't deliver they will go to who can. As I said in another post....all those B6 A321 and NEO 320 will look good in the Eagle's colors ;) LOL

[Delta777LR]

need narrow bodies now...not years from now. If Boeing can't deliver they will go to who can. As I said in another post....all those B6 A321 and NEO 320 will look good in the Eagle's colors ;) LOL

Not those that cant be polished!!! lol

[Boxman]

This could be it.

Big announcement tomorrow, as per Jon Ostrower at Flight International.

Confirmed: American Airlines to announce aircraft order Wednesday (July 20, 2011) (http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/flightblogger/2011/07/confirm-american-order.html)
by Jon Ostrower
Flightblogger
Flight International
July 19, 2011

American Airlines will announce Wednesday a purchase of commercial aircraft, ending a month of speculation since the Paris Air Show about the timing of the order, which could be for more than 250 single-aisle aircraft, an industry source confirms. The breakdown of the order between Boeing and Airbus, however, remains unknown.

[Ari707]

people are saying split order with Boeing offering a reengined 737, and prob. A321 neo's to replace the B757's

[cancidas]

A321 does not = B757.

[T-Bird76]

Well the word is out... Mixed order but looks like the A320 will be a solid part of AA's fleet. This is a huge victory for Airbus. Interesting that it seems they talk about the 737 and the A320 as replacing the 767-200.... That doesn't make sense and they won't be able to provide their Flagship service using 737s...

http://aa.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=3286

[lijk604]

Looks like AA will join the rest of the domestic carriers....narrow-body domestic, and wide-body international. What I am amazed at it the sheer volume of this order. Supposedly AA does not have one of the strongest balance sheets, how the heck did they get both Airbus & Boeing to agree to a purchase order this large? IF, and I repeat IF, AA down the road needs to file Chapter 11...one would think they could not accept any new aircraft (using UA, CO & DL as examples). Wouldn't that put both A & B in a poor financial position?

[Ari707]

A321 does not = B757.
read an story where they determined that the A321neo is the closest replacement to the B757 though without the range

[T-Bird76]

Looks like AA will join the rest of the domestic carriers....narrow-body domestic, and wide-body international. What I am amazed at it the sheer volume of this order. Supposedly AA does not have one of the strongest balance sheets, how the heck did they get both Airbus & Boeing to agree to a purchase order this large? IF, and I repeat IF, AA down the road needs to file Chapter 11...one would think they could not accept any new aircraft (using UA, CO & DL as examples). Wouldn't that put both A & B in a poor financial position?

While AA's current balance sheet is less then stellar they have some feathers in their cap the other U.S carriers don't. This order was the last hurdle they faced that will allow them to shed the gas guzzling Mad Dogs. Just some key things that AA has...

DFW- DFW is the strongest geographically located hub in the Americas with room to grow. Its a key access point for Asia, the America's, and Europe. Being able to serve either side of the globe with one stop passenger and cargo service means American and its One World partners can do things other airlines can't. Plus DFW's layout is highly efficient and the airport has room to grow. While IAH's location is also a plus the design doesn't match that of DFW.

JFK- AA's investment in JFK and current improvements going on a LGA with the B6 relationship gave them a head start on Delta and a competitive match to CO at EWR.

One World- While the One World alliance may not be the largest it does consist of the strongest carriers on the planet with flexibility and scheduling advantages over the others.

Its going to be an uphill battle for AA to return to profit and there's 2 HUGE risks AA faces that could sink them into Chapter 11 pretty quickly. The first is a deep double dip recession, all of AA's plans are highly dependent on a recovering economy. The second is another attack on the commercial aviation system that drives off flyers in droves. In the end AA really had no choice but to do this order, they had to take the risk or they'd be passed up by the other U.S Carriers. The great thing here is that a U.S company has taken such a dive into upgrading itself and this announcement isn't from some other nation. I think it really proves that the U.S market is still the strongest commercial market on the planet.

[mirrodie]

@ Klos, from what I heard on the news, Airbus and Boeing both financed the orders so that made the deal for AA. The net gain in changing the aging fleet is 20 to 30% fuel savings.

Great for the psyche of American Airlines as well as perhaps the American psyche. However, too bad it wasn't all a US based order from Boeing.

Now, more importantly:

Color schemes for the carbon fiber 320s, and 787s? ;-)

[Ari707]

Now, more importantly:

Color schemes for the carbon fiber 320s, and 787s? ;-)

Hopefully not the same dull gray the A300's were when they were delivered

[steve1840]

Hopefully not the same dull gray the A300's were when they were delivered

Not that I would want to see the polished metal airframes go away, but maybe this will be a chance for AA to re-invent their color scheme.

[Matt Molnar]

Color schemes for the carbon fiber 320s, and 787s? ;-)
Official renderings...

A321:
http://nycaviation.com/newspage/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/american-a321-620.jpg (http://nycaviation.com/2011/07/american-airlines-orders-460-new-boeing-and-airbus-jets/)

A319:
http://nycaviation.com/newspage/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/american-a319-620.jpg (http://nycaviation.com/2011/07/american-airlines-orders-460-new-boeing-and-airbus-jets/)

[Ari707]

I know at the end they were able to polish the A300, are there any polished A320's? From the looks Jetstar's look painted silver

[Ari707]

also interesting how the media keeps saying how American has an all boeing fleet, and this is a break through for Airbus, They seem to forget that the MD-80s they are replacing weren't originally Boeing,

[JZ]

As AA uses 757 extensively on trans-Atlantic routes, it means we will see 737 or A320 on trans-Atlantic routes in the future. I only know Alaska and Aloha having ETOPS certified 737, not sure if A320 is ETOPS certified.

Another interesting commentary is how the history has come full circle. The jet age began with narrow-body jet planes able to complete Atlantic crossing. Fifty years after that, we began to see more and more narrow-body jets on trans-Atlantic routes. In the future, 707's little brother will likely serve the same routes.

[yankees368]

I only know Alaska and Aloha having ETOPS certified 737, not sure if A320 is ETOPS certified.

From Wikipedia (take its accuracy with a grain of salt): All variants are able to be ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards) certified.

[PhilDernerJr]

A lot of it, as I understand, is not that the aircraft TYPE can become ETOPS certified, but if the individual aircraft that the airline has can get them certified, and maintain it.

[yankees368]

A lot of it, as I understand, is not that the aircraft TYPE can become ETOPS certified, but if the individual aircraft that the airline has can get them certified, and maintain it.

That is correct. It is just another option that the aircraft can be outfitted with.

[hiss srq]

ETOPS is a program dependant on a multitude of things. First, engine dispatch reliability record of a carrier. Second, vendors, certain part vendors do not qualify for ETOPS, third, proving runs to verify the airlines ETOPS compliance program matches the dispatch reliability program laws. This means developing the correct inspection program or sourcing anothers. AA has a great ETOPS package as it is today. The new triple spool engines are supposed to be ETOPS out of the box which will be a good thing because if they were going to buy V2500's the process would be extensive. No carriers currently operate an ETOPS fleet using the V2500 family engine. The CFM on the other hand is certified. I am still blown away by this order.