American Is Deferring Delivery Of Their A350s... Again

These were originally ordered by US Airways which was to be the A350 launch customer. While this further delay is frustrating, long suffering PHL based customers continue to see no benefit from the AA merger. TATL 757's still with business class seats that were moved from the A330 when it went flat bed pre-merger. No real MCE on any TATL aircraft (just exit rows and bulkheads with no actual change, in name only). No power, IFE, wifi on 757's, just new exterior paint and an AA logo glued over the space of the former US logo. No 787 or 77W at PHL. The only bright spot at PHL is Qatar and their A350'which has become my go to for international travel. Much nicer aircraft and superior service.

Blame this one on publicly traded companies...it's a pretty smart business decision to buy used planes right now, why annoy shareholders by buying up stuff that will be available on the used market eventually?

Hmmm...

Is travel beginning to slow down overall, or are the legacies simply losing market share to the new LCCs?

Possibly related: I saw that Rasmussen Polls reported today that 42% of Americans said that they are much less likely to go to Europe in the next 6 months due to the recent terror attacks.

Maybe if they wait long enough they can buy 757-Neo's or whatever replacement. I'll just be sad to see the last of the MD-80's retire. Heck, maybe they could lease some A380's and actually have capacity for award seats to Europe 🙂

With Fuel being cheap AA why dump the 767s since they are paid for. But if AA wants to expand it's not a smart move, since the A350's will give it a range to new cities.

they should take delivery and start flying them coast to coast. Enough of those singe isles aircraft between JFK/MIA to LAX/SFO. Its crazy. Every single flight is packed, not an empty seat available, nowhere to walk to stretch out and lines as much as 10 people long form at the front ad back of the aircraft, waiting on line to go to the bathroom. In the 80's & '90's almost every coast to coast flight was a wide body jet, 747, DC-10, l-1011, 767. BRING BACK THE WIDE BODY AIRCRAFT ON DOMESTIC FLIGHT. NOW AA KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH THESE A-350's.

Robert Hanson - Combined with the Europeans cutting travel to America because of Trump and the fierce competition across the Atlantic, that could become quite a big problem...

@Robert Hanson: Most Americans are completely ignorant when it comes to world affairs. I also have heard people say they're avoiding Europe due to terrorist activity. The United States has far more violent crime than Europe.

It's part of our travel policy at my office to get people on foreign carriers as quickly as possible, even if it's a little more inconvenient at the connecting cities. I know of only one employee who has complained about this. The rest of us completely agree with it. Life gets much better once you get off domestic metal. I'd imagine we can't be the only people with this mindset.

This points again to the fact that their employees are more important than their customers. Cut plane upgrades and move the money to salary increases. It is pretty obvious that the unions are in charge.

AlexS: my experience flying foreign airlines shows they aren't always better than the US based airlines

Stephen: Unless your talking about Air Koryo, I can't think of any other foreign airline that I'd be afraid of being beaten up and dragged off.

We like the 767 and MD-80. Having to fly coach as a couple, we like not having to share with a third person.

Why spend money on new aircraft to enhance the customer experience when you can throw that money on raises for employees.