[MarkivJ]

Internet is abuzz with rumours of this historic purchase – both because it’ll be a first for AA to have signed on the A350 but also supposedly, a very big order. I suspect it’ll be to phase out the ageing US Airways A330 fleet that primarily serves PHL, CLT and I think PHX.

Is there any truth to this rumour? Apparently the agreement signing is set for 4th March.

1 user thanked author for this post.

AlanOrton1

[AlanOrton1]

MarkivJ – interesting news, thanks for sharing, especially as their wide body fleet is exclusively Boeing.
(AA retired their A332 & A333 fleet during Covid).
They’d join DL as a major US client of the A350 family.
As some of AA’s 772 fleet are circa 20 years old perhaps this, if it’s a large order, is part refreshing the fleet and part expansion?

[MarkivJ]

Alan, I agree which is why I found this rumour interesting. Not only a Boeing wide fleet but other than DL in recent years, American carriers have shown support to American manufacturers (Boeing). I’m sure there are a few legacy Airbus aircraft but none have openly flamboyantly signed with Airbus. We’ll know in about a week!

[greyhawkgeoff]

Alan Orton is spot on, the A330’s went with Covid. I have a neighbor who is an AA pilot and was furloughed by that move. Also I recall that AA cancelled an order outstanding for A350’s at about that time, sensing that the market was not going to be there. Just like BA they remain short of wide bodies to this day in 2024.

On a wider view, while single sourcing may be an economically attractive move especially re training and commonality of pilots, having a lever over Boeing in the shape of Airbus in the wide bodied fleet for the next 20+ years should exert some clout on pricing and support packages well into the coming decades.

[cwoodward]

The news if correct seems a logical but very late move by AA- and they will have a very long wait

Airbus order backlog currently stands at near 9,300 aircraft of which about 680 are A350’s.

Airbus delivered about 3 per month last year and expects to up that to 4 in 2024 = 48 for the year….

[LetsFlyNow]

While there’ll be planes ordered, the main order will be for narrow bodies. A certain very reliable JonNYC (check his very clean track record) first reported this in October 2023. This is to mostly replace the much older A319/A320s some of which are over 24yrs old and the 737s. We’re talking over 200 aircraft that need replacing sooner than later.
Here AA is apparently leaning heavily towards the A220 while comparing it to the E2-195 and the MAX7 (if it ever sees the light of day). Ofcourse more A321neo given the uncertainty of the MAX10 (just as United is seriously considering the A321neo having removed the MAX10 from future planning – this was widely reported the last couple of weeks).

The A350 rumour is rather new and is to replace the B777-200ER as apparently they ‘don’t want to have all their eggs in the 787 basket’. This ofcourse could be a negotiating tactic to get a better deal from Boeing. But i wouldn’t be surprised if AA actually ordered about 30 A350s alongside more 787s.
The narrow body order is indeed likely to be announced on Investor’s day which is apparently on March 4th. The wide body order ought to come at a later date. Then again RUMOURS!

So yes, there’s indeed some substance on the rumours but i’d take it with a pinch of salt as it could be negotiating tactic. Don’t forget that it was AAs large order (at the time) of the A321neo that pushed Boeing to production of the 737 MAX.

[sparkyflier]

I hope it is true. And I hope they do not select the window-dimming technology (found on 787) which is apparently going to be available on A350 in the future.
To me the A350 is a far more desirable aircraft in all classes and I am more inclined to choose Airbus A330 and A350 when the choice is versus 787.

So I hope AA will choose both aircraft types so as not to put all their eggs in the Boeing basket. Was tempted to say basket(case).

AA seem to me to be improving and going towards being a more premium airline which makes me think this rumour could be credible.

2 users thanked author for this post.

AndrewinHK, cwoodward

[david]

Replacing those older A330s with newer planes, especially for routes in places like PHL, CLT, and PHX, just seems like the logical move. But until we hear the real deal, all we can do is guess and speculate.

[LetsFlyNow]

Bloomberg reported yesterday that AA will order about 100 narrowbody planes mostly from Airbus. No much talk about the A350 as i believe that this will be announced at a later date as i wrote.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-27/american-airlines-closes-in-on-major-order-tilted-toward-airbus

[Rferguson2]

AA officially announced a massive airbus today. But only for narrowbodies 🙁

They also ordered from Boeing and Embraer

2 users thanked author for this post.

cwoodward, MarkivJ

[Author]

Posts