American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) is talking to Airbus and Boeing concerning a new narrowbody aircraft order of up to 200 planes, according to Bloomberg. The talks have reportedly been underway for several months and remain ongoing. Under consideration are the B737 MAX and A321-200neo types.
“We are talking to Boeing and Airbus about our narrowbody aircraft needs for the latter half of this decade and beyond,” reads a statement issued by American Airlines on the matter. "We continually evaluate our fleet and our future aircraft requirements."
An order for 200 aircraft would be at the upper end of the scale. Depending on determined needs, the order, if it proceeds, will likely figure between 100 and 200 aircraft and replace the older narrowbody jets in American's fleet. According to ch-aviation fleets data, the airline's oldest narrowbody sub-fleets include 133 A319-100s with an average age of 19.4 years; forty-eight A320-200s with an average age of 22.4 years; and 303 B737-800s with an average age of 13.7 years. Notably, American Airlines expects 148 narrowbodies, primarily B737-8s, to be delivered by the end of 2027. These planes are the last of the carrier's then record-breaking 460-strong order placed with Boeing in 2011.
In a July earnings call, American's CEO Robert Isom confirmed a narrowbody aircraft order was on the radar but stressed there was no pressing urgency, given the outstanding B737-8s. "At some point, I wouldn't be surprised if we make a commitment to some narrowbody aircraft as we get past 2027," he said, while also noting that aircraft capex is expected to average around USD3.5 billion over the remainder of this decade.
The latest Airbus order data indicates a backlog of 4,092 undelivered A321neo, while Boeing's backlog of undelivered B737 MAX stands at 4,359. When questioned about the backlogs and other airlines placing large orders, Isom said he anticipates "appropriate regard" from both manufacturers regarding delivery timelines.
