Deals

United Is Near a Deal to Acquire Used Airbus Jetliners

Carrier looks to add 30 to 40 narrow-bodies, people say
Consultant sees ‘a cheap way of bringing in peak capacity’

An aircraft marshaller guides a JetBlue Airways Corp. Airbus Group SE A320 aircraft on the tarmac at Long Beach Airport (LGB) in Long Beach, California, U.S., on Monday, April 25, 2016. JetBlue Airways Corp. is scheduled to release earnings figures on April 26.
Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg

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By Michael Sasso, Julie Johnsson, and Benjamin D Katz

October 31, 2017 at 7:16 PM UTC

Updated on

October 31, 2017 at 8:39 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

United Continental Holdings Inc. wants to acquire as many as 40 used Airbus SE jets, seeking a thrifty way to bolster short-distance service as the airline struggles to get costs under control.

The carrier is looking at A319 and A320 single-aisle aircraft, the Chicago chapter of the United pilots union said in an Oct. 10 memo to its members. A deal for 30 to 40 of the jets is “imminent,” according to the memo. The ultimate agreement could be for fewer.