American Airlines, the world's largest airline by fleet size, is reportedly in discussions with both Airbus and Boeing for a substantial narrowbody aircraft order. This move comes at a time when airlines are rushing to place orders to meet the booming demand for air travel.
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The Texas-based airline, which serves over 350 destinations globally, already has significant orders of Airbus A321-200XLR and Boeing 737-8s. However, deliveries of these aircraft are not expected until the end of 2024. Despite this, American Airlines continues to review its fleet needs beyond 2024, with no planned retirements.
The potential order, which is expected to be substantial, may become more apparent in the coming days. The airline is considering Boeing's 737 Max and Airbus's A321neo to replace its 737-800, A319, and A320 single-aisle models later this decade. In a recent quarterly earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Devon May stated: "Looking beyond 2024, we continue to review our medium and long-term fleet needs, and we are currently engaged with Boeing and Airbus for narrowbody aircraft deliveries in the latter half of this decade and beyond". American Airlines' fleet is composed of an impressive 980 aircraft, making it the second-largest airline by revenue in 2023, just behind Delta. The seating arrangements on Lufthansa’s A380 consist of eight First Class seats, 78 Business Class seats, 52 Premium Economy seats, and 371 Economy seats.
In 2022, American Airlines decided to reactivate the Airbus superjumbo. By the end of 2025, a total of eight A380s will once again be deployed for operations to and from Munich. This development signifies a positive trend in the aviation industry as it recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also underscores American Airlines' commitment to meeting its customers' needs while maintaining its position as a global leader in the aviation industry.
