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LONDON, Oct 27 (Reuters) - US Airways Group Inc. (LCC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has conceded that a delay in the launch of the planned Airbus A350 could affect its long-term expansion plans, the Financial Times reported on Friday.
Design issues and problems with the Airbus A380 superjumbo have put back the planned entry into service of the mid-sized A350 from 2012 to as late as 2015, the newspaper said, citing unnamed industry sources. :down:
US Airways, formed last year from the merger of US Airways and America West Airlines, is a major launch company for the aircraft, the FT said.
Airbus invested in the American group in return for an order for 20 A350s, which were aimed at leading US Airways' overseas expansion, according to the FT.
US Airways President Scott Kirby told the economic daily that the company had no firm delivery dates for the A350 XWB.
"We still have a lot of options with the Philadelphia hub to fly into Europe with (Boeing) 757s, 767s and (Airbus) A330s," he said.
The newspaper reported, however, that US Airways lacked the planes to launch routes from its Phoenix base as well as longer flights from Philadelphia.
The comments came as US Airways posted a third-quarter net loss after fuel hedging and merger-related costs.
The A350 is Airbus's (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) answer to Boeing's (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) recent success in the fast-growing market for future mid-sized jets that will be able to fly long distances on two engines instead of four.
US Airways was not immediately available to comment on the FT article.
Design issues and problems with the Airbus A380 superjumbo have put back the planned entry into service of the mid-sized A350 from 2012 to as late as 2015, the newspaper said, citing unnamed industry sources. :down:
US Airways, formed last year from the merger of US Airways and America West Airlines, is a major launch company for the aircraft, the FT said.
Airbus invested in the American group in return for an order for 20 A350s, which were aimed at leading US Airways' overseas expansion, according to the FT.
US Airways President Scott Kirby told the economic daily that the company had no firm delivery dates for the A350 XWB.
"We still have a lot of options with the Philadelphia hub to fly into Europe with (Boeing) 757s, 767s and (Airbus) A330s," he said.
The newspaper reported, however, that US Airways lacked the planes to launch routes from its Phoenix base as well as longer flights from Philadelphia.
The comments came as US Airways posted a third-quarter net loss after fuel hedging and merger-related costs.
The A350 is Airbus's (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) answer to Boeing's (BA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) recent success in the fast-growing market for future mid-sized jets that will be able to fly long distances on two engines instead of four.
US Airways was not immediately available to comment on the FT article.
