United considering shifting A350 order

United ordered 35 A350-1000s in 2009 as a replacement for the 747-400. They are scheduled to take delivery of the first aircraft in 2018, but now are considering replacing those aircraft with other alternatives. One possibility is swapping them for A330neo airframes to replace their 767-300ERs. They're replacing the 747-400 with 777-300ERs, but have no replacement for the 767 yet.

The A350-1000 has not been selling well for Airbus. They have orders for 211 aircraft, compared to over 600 of the -900. Several customers have swapped their -1000s for smaller -900s.

United Airlines is considering “different alternatives” to the 35 Airbus A350-1000s that it has on order, says chief financial officer Andrew Levy.

“That’s an order we’re paying a lot of attention to and considering different alternatives,” he says during a presentation at the Stifel Transportation & Logistics conference today.

United is amid a fleet review with the focus now on its widebody orderbook. It adjusted its narrowbody orders last November when it converted its order for 65 Boeing 737-700s to four 737-800s due this year and 61 737 Max 8s due in the future.

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