US Airways orders 92 new aircraft from Airbus

US Airways last week placed an order with European manufacturer Airbus for 92 new planes. The order includes 22 of Airbus’ new A350 XWBs, which will make US Airways the North American launch customer. The XWB stands for “extra wide body,” and the aircraft – which are still under development; deliveries won’t start until 2014 – is up to 30 percent more fuel-efficient than current models, Airbus said. USAirways has ordered the A350 -800 and -900 series, which can carry 270 to 314 passengers. “Purchase rights for additional aircraft are included, allowing for the eventual retirement of all other wide-body jets and leaving the airline with a single intercontinental fleet type of A350 XWB,” a spokesman said. The order also includes 10 wide-body A330-200s, with deliveries beginning in 2009, and with an option to convert to A330-300s or A340s. These planes “will facilitate the eventual retirement of US Airways’ ZB767 fleet,” the spokesman said. And it provides for another 60 narrow-body planes including A319s, 320s and 321s; those planes, with 37 ordered previously, will be delivered from 2008-2012, and will allow US Airways to eliminate the 737-300s and -400s from its fleet.