Airline Has Downgraded 30 Firm Orders To Options From 260-Plane Deal

Airbus is shuffling around some of its production schedule in connection with a record 260-plane order from American Airlines placed in 2011.

Reuters reports that American has shifted orders for 30 A321neo airplanes to "options" with 100 of the largest variant of the A320 family still listed as firm orders, according to data released this week by Airbus. But 71 airplanes that were to have been leased by the airline as part of the then-record-setting deal now show up as direct purchases on Airbus' order book, according to the report.

That means that AA will be buying more new airplanes from Airbus, rather than using leased aircraft.

The reorganization of the order was due in part to the cancellation of nine A321ceo orders by International Lease Finance Corp., which is in the process of being taken over by Dutch-based AerCap.

The European planemaker also reported that it took 78 orders in April, but Reuters reports that still puts Airbus behind Boeing in new orders for the month. Airbus says it took in 236 orders through the first quarter of 2014, but also had 94 cancellations. Its net order book so far this year stands at 142.

Boeing, on the other hand, has booked 288 net orders through April 29.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.airbus.com