American Airlines Considers A330-900neo Order For 777

American Airlines may order up to 65 Airbus A330-900neo jets to replace its 47 Boeing 777-200ERs. The airline's Chief Commercial Officer, Nat Pieper, described the selection process as being in the "seventh or eighth inning" and said the decision "could go either way" between Airbus and Boeing, the source reports.

CEO Robert Isom stated in June that the airline had issued a request for proposals and was engaging with both manufacturers. American currently has 19 widebodies on order and options for another 28, but this new campaign would be significantly larger to address retirements planned for the 2030s.

The Fleet Decision Factors

On paper, the Boeing 787-10 appears the logical choice. American already operates a large Dreamliner fleet, which would offer commonality benefits for pilot training, maintenance, and spare parts. The 787-10 also provides strong per-seat economics and more capacity than the 787-9 without moving to a larger aircraft like the 777X.

However, availability is a major hurdle. The source notes that Delta Air Lines' newly announced 787-10 order will not begin deliveries until 2031. If Airbus can offer earlier delivery slots or a more competitive price for the A330-900neo, it becomes a serious contender. The A330neo is slightly smaller, generally cheaper, and may be available sooner. The report suggests American's lack of interest in very large long-haul aircraft likely rules out the A350 and 777X.

For passengers, the A330neo's 2-4-2 economy class layout could be preferable to the 787's 3-3-3 configuration, especially for couples. The source argues this is a rare case where the potentially cheaper aircraft might also be more pleasant for economy travelers, though it acknowledges this alone does not drive a billion-dollar fleet decision.

A Fleet Retirement Viewed As A Mistake

The report highlights what it calls the irony of the potential order. American Airlines entered 2020 with 24 A330s inherited from US Airways but retired the entire fleet during the pandemic as part of a simplification effort. The source contends this was a strategic mistake, leaving the airline short of widebody capacity when international travel demand rebounded sharply.

American took a $1.5 billion non-cash impairment charge in 2020 tied to early aircraft retirements, which included the A330 fleet. The source states that American later had an opportunity to bring some of those stored A330s back into service but chose not to. This decision, the report argues, allowed competitors Delta and United to expand more aggressively internationally while American operated with too few widebodies.

Key Personnel And Industry Insight

New Chief Commercial Officer Nat Pieper's background is noted as a relevant factor. Pieper previously served as Vice President of Fleet Strategy and Transactions at Delta Air Lines, where he oversaw the acquisition and expansion of Delta's A330-900neo fleet. The source says this means he knows the aircraft's economics intimately, though it does not guarantee he will advocate for the same model at American.

Aviation commentator JonNYC reportedly flagged the possibility of a new American widebody order months ago, suggesting a focus on aircraft already in production. The source quotes JonNYC as writing, "If I were betting, I'd say that there would be a definite focus on widebodies that are actually flying today, be that Boeing or Airbus."

The final decision remains up in the air. American Airlines is moving closer to a major fleet renewal that will shape its international operations for the next decade.