from the press release - "To rationalize international flying, the merged company will work with Airbus to transition to an all-Airbus international fleet of A330 aircraft and, beginning in 2011, A350 aircraft."

That is still another 6 years from now. Who knows what could happen. Let's hope it is less.

while I agree that timing is uncertain, the press release/related info strongly implies they are looking to ditch 767s to europe "asap".

while I'm happy to dream of all 330s, I dont know why it isnt cost-effective to just put in new seats/IFE in the 767s.

That is still another 6 years from now. Who knows what could happen. Let's hope it is less.

US AIRWAYS FAN the new A330 should start arriving soon according to the press release and the webcast, the A350 comes in 6 years. Doug said yesterday that the international fleet will be all A330 then transistion to A350 starting in 2011.

"To rationalize international flying, the merged company will work with Airbus to transition to an all-Airbus international fleet of A330 aircraft and, beginning in 2011, A350 aircraft." This is from the press release.

I think this is all good news and you don't have to wait til 2011.

Yippppiiiiiieeeee :)

I love the A330 and will be very happy to see the 767's gone. ^ On second thought, they can use the 767 on the CLT-LAS route. ;)

On second thought, they can use the 767 on the CLT-LAS route. ;)

AMEN!

What ever happened to the saying, "If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going?"

Never mind. :)

Who else flies (I am referring to US carriers only) really old planes on domestic and international?

I love the A330 and will be very happy to see the 767's gone. ^ On second thought, they can use the 767 on the CLT-LAS route. ;)

Amen!!! Amen!!! We need the extra first class seats!!!!

I guess the love and caring for the American workers so many of you were spouting when US was laying off is out the window as long as we get comfy seats on Airbus. Nice.

I guess the love and caring for the American workers so many of you were spouting when US was laying off is out the window as long as we get comfy seats on Airbus. Nice.

I was writing in support of all the great US Airways workers and the troubles they've been going through while providing me (and other members of the flying public) often great service while things were crumbling around them.

I haven't flown American in a long time so I can't comment. Don't have any particular love or caring for AA.

But I do enjoy comfy seats, on an Airbus or otherwise.

Who else flies (I am referring to US carriers only) really old planes on domestic and international?

Northwest has DC-10s and (I think) 747-200s internationally. They've updated the interiors.

They are still flying 40 year old DC-9s around domestically. With the updated interiors, they are fine.

The 762s suck for US because they have not touched the interiors in 10 years.

... while I'm happy to dream of all 330s, I dont know why it isnt cost-effective to just put in new seats/IFE in the 767s.

Having two aircraft types for one mission is expensive and an operational headache. Especially when both types are in relatively small numbers. They're better off with 20 330s than 10 767s and 10 330s.

Airbus is also probably making it very attractive to switch.

I wonder if GE has an angle on the little airbus engines? US and HP have different engines on their Airbii and GE is in that business...

I guess the love and caring for the American workers so many of you were spouting when US was laying off is out the window as long as we get comfy seats on Airbus. Nice.

Uh, you do realize that a substantial portion of the Airbus is made in the USA just as a substantial porion of Boeing's products are made outside the USA, right?

Final assembly is one (small) part of the total effort that goes into making an airliner.

Having two aircraft types for one mission is expensive and an operational headache. Especially when both types are in relatively small numbers. They're better off with 20 330s than 10 767s and 10 330s.

Airbus is also probably making it very attractive to switch.

I wonder if GE has an angle on the little airbus engines? US and HP have different engines on their Airbii and GE is in that business...

what about for lower volume (and yeild) European markets? Is flying 200 pax on an A330 to GLA or SNN in September the same price as flying 200 pax on a sold-out B767?

what about for lower volume (and yeild) European markets? Is flying 200 pax on an A330 to GLA or SNN in September the same price as flying 200 pax on a sold-out B767?

My guess is that the new US is hoping for more feed. If HP drops it BA code-share there will be a shift of pax from BA going to GLA and SNN and other places.

The code share with UA allowed US to fly seven days a week during the winter to MAD and FCO. The year before, these flights were going out like three/four days a week.

Uh, you do realize that a substantial portion of the Airbus is made in the USA just as a substantial porion of Boeing's products are made outside the USA, right? Final assembly is one (small) part of the total effort that goes into making an airliner.

Hey, I'm with you and glad to have Airbus on board. My message was at those phonies who wasted much posting space complaining about the big bad US management team who were tossing American worker out on the streets.

what about for lower volume (and yeild) European markets? Is flying 200 pax on an A330 to GLA or SNN in September the same price as flying 200 pax on a sold-out B767?

I believe the 350 and 330 will be the same type rating. So from a crew training and efficiency standpoint alone it'll save lots of $$ and headache to be on one platform rather than having to maintain a set of 767 rated crews and a set of 330/350 rated crews. There could be some economies of scale in maintenance as well. And as another poster mentioned they could adjust frequencies to maximize load factors.

My guess is that the new US is hoping for more feed. If HP drops it BA code-share there will be a shift of pax from BA going to GLA and SNN and other places.

The code share with UA allowed US to fly seven days a week during the winter to MAD and FCO. The year before, these flights were going out like three/four days a week.

very good point.

I think what the new US will do is to spread out the use of it's new A330's and A350's. Unless you start really spacing flights out more by time, PHL Int'l is maxed out. Once inside the terminal it's quite nice but for inbound pax making afternoon connections it's a disaster. I would like to see more spacing in evening departure and arrival times and any new aircraft (except for replacements) put for CLT, PHX and maybe even LAS, PIT - Europe flights.

My guess is that the new US is hoping for more feed. If HP drops it BA code-share there will be a shift of pax from BA going to GLA and SNN and other places.

The code share with UA allowed US to fly seven days a week during the winter to MAD and FCO. The year before, these flights were going out like three/four days a week.

I would think that the New aircraft will be A330-200 which are a bit smaller (and longer range... so maybe the possibility of new markets? phx-europe?) than the A330-300 which they currently operate.

According to a press release when they emerged from there previous bankruptcy they had already made plans for replacing the 767.

"APRIL 07, 2003


Following US Airways’ successful emergence from bankruptcy protection (March 31, 2003) and months of coordination between customer and manufacturer, Airbus has worked with the airline to complete a restructuring plan to assist the Arlington, Virginia carrier in best accommodating the current industry environment. The resulting agreement includes replacing a prior order with a new order for 10 Airbus A330-200 aircraft... Deliveries (...) will begin in 2007 and run through 2009."

So the only News is really the A350s. :)

Uh, you do realize that a substantial portion of the Airbus is made in the USA just as a substantial porion of Boeing's products are made outside the USA, right?

Final assembly is one (small) part of the total effort that goes into making an airliner.

Numbers (as in percentage US/foreign content) to support your words are recommended for your argument to be believable (this isn't the Fox News Channel :) ). Until they are supplied, I’m gonna hold to the belief that assembling a Boeing jet involves substantially more U.S. labor and content than the like-model Airbus. Certainly the profits accrue to a U.S. company rather than a European entity.

Numbers (as in percentage US/foreign content) to support your words are recommended for your argument to be believable (this isn't the Fox News Channel :) ).Don't you mean "this isn't Newsweek or CBS."? :D

Don't you mean "this isn't Newsweek or CBS."? :D

At least Newsweek and CBS admit and apologize when they are wrong. I'm against "activist" posters. :D :D