American Airlines, amidst a travel surge, has announced on Wednesday that it has initiated discussions with leading planemakers Airbus and Boeing for a new narrowbody jet order. These talks come at a time when airlines are in a rush to replenish their fleets to meet the booming travel demand.
Earlier reports from Bloomberg News, citing people familiar with the matter, indicated that the airline was in negotiations to order at least 100 new jets from the planemakers. The discussions are in their early stages and no definitive decisions have been reached, industry sources revealed to Reuters.
In an official statement, American Airlines stated, «We are talking to Boeing and Airbus about our narrowbody aircraft needs for the latter half of this decade and beyond.»
Despite being at an early stage in their deliberations, American Airlines hinted at its minimal fleet replacement needs during an investor call last month, due to the relatively young age of their current aircraft. The airline stated «we expect aircraft capex for the next several years and likely through the end of the decade to average about $3.5 billion per year.»
The Bloomberg report suggested that the total number of aircraft in the potential deal could surpass 200 units, with additional commitments for future purchases. As per the report, American Airlines, which has been in negotiation with the planemakers for several months, is mulling over Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A321neo as potential replacements for its 737-800, A319, and A320 single-aisle models in the latter part of the decade.
