Hearing On Us Airways Aircraft Leases Today

[eolesen]

Any update on what happened today?

 

[USA320Pilot]

Tonight the ALPA MEC held a conference call. One agenda item was a bankruptcy update by ALPA's bankruptcy counsel Richard Seltzer. Seltzer told the MEC that "no determination was made today on any aircraft that might be taken back by the financiers. The final decision should be known within a week."

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[eolesen]

The final decision should be known within a week.

[post="199430"][/post]​

While not a surprise, that should be a concern....

Absent a decision, a stay, or cure payments, what's to stop lessors from reposessing aircraft come Thursday?...

 

[USA320Pilot]

Today the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, "In other US Airways news yesterday, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court gave the airline until April 30 to decide which of its 500 property leases it wants to keep or reject. The airline is scheduled to tell the court today which airplane leases it wants to keep."

See Story

Regards,

USA320pilot

 

[delldude]

Tonight the ALPA MEC held a conference call. One agenda item was a bankruptcy update by ALPA's bankruptcy counsel Richard Seltzer. Seltzer told the MEC that "no determination was made today on any aircraft that might be taken back by the financiers. The final decision should be known within a week."

Regards,

USA320Pilot

[post="199430"][/post]​

and as you walk into hangar 3-4 in PIT......there are sometimes up to 6 engines lying in wait for a match up to their original aircraft upon delivery.....go figure dude...
:down:

 

[USA320Pilot]

USA320Pilot comments: US Airways’ aircraft debt, EETC, and lease negotiations are being handled by John Lutz of the Seabury Group. Lutz was very successful at negotiating lower aircraft lease expenses during the company’s first trip through bankruptcy. Some of US Airways’ planes have below market value lease expenses and could be difficult to renegotiate, but the company needs to extract as many concessions as possible. I understand Lutz is playing hardball with financiers and it’s too early to tell what will be the post bankruptcy fleet plan will be

700UW comments: According to the lessors and US Airways finance, there has been no talks with the lessors except GE.

Charlotte Observer article: Airline expected to reveal fleet plan - US Airways looking for cost savings in plane lease payments

Complete Story

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[BoeingBoy]

Airline expected to reveal fleet plan

(free subscription)

TONY MECIA AND STAN CHOE

Staff Writers

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - US Airways is expected to disclose today which of its 282 planes it plans to keep flying -- and which ones it hopes to lower lease payments on, or possibly discard.

 

[justaumechanic]

There are plenty of markets that the leasing companies can dump these aircraft into.. They don't have to deal anymore.. They gave the company great deals 2 years ago.. The lease price on aircraft has increased not decreased.. So the companys position is what?

USA320 - What is your opinion.. How can the company get a leasing company to give them a cheaper rate when in fact they can get a better deal from a company that is much more financially stable?

Now I read on this board someone saying something about Southwest and reconfiguration.. Lets keep our eye on the ball here.. Southwest already flies close to a dozen ex USAir 737-300 aircraft.. They picked up a few back in 1992 when the company dumped the 15 -300's for money. They then picked up several from Western Pacific when they went out of business..

So they are familiar with the US Airways -300 aircraft spec.. changing out a galley is cheap money. reconfiguration of the cockpit is minor.. Change over to the Southwest Maintenance program is no problem.. So what would be the issues? NONE..

Folks these aircraft have homes.. The company has nothing left to deal with.. Thats why they wanted the 279 out of the contracts... Their plan is Dave's plan.. Lets get down to 154 aircraft.. Let the regionals fly the short hauls. Close down the PIT operation and we can live with CLT, BOS and PHL.. Plenty of hangar space.. Farm out the heavy checks and wham we are JetBlue overnight..