US Airways 767 Service Ends

Yet another era in commercial aviation ended with the last passenger flight by a US Airways Boeing 767 on 12 February 2015.  The aircraft, 767-2B7ER N252AU, completed round-trip service from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Charlotte, North Carolina on 12 February 2015.

The airline operated a dozen 767-200s since 1997 when USAir became US Airways.  USAir inherited six of the aircraft from Piedmont Airlines, which had used them on its Charlotte-London, UK route, when the two airlines merged in 1989 and added six more between 1990 and mid-1993.

US Airways' merger partner, American Airlines, flew its last transcontinental 767-200 service when 767-223ER N319AA completed a flight from Los Angeles, California to New York City, New York on 8 May 2014.  That service is now flown with Airbus A321 aircraft.

Note: Pending the issuing of a single operating certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration, expected sometime in 2015, American Airlines and US Airways continue to operate separately.

(above)  One of US Airways’ last remaining Boeing 767s at the time, N250AY climbs out smartly in the early morning sun from Orlando International Airport, Florida on 6 February 2015.  Less than a week later, this 767-201ER was reportedly in storage.  It may not be the end of the line, however, since N250AY is apparently available for sale or lease.

Get ‘em While You Can: US Airways Birds Go American

With the last of the big US airline mergers – US Airways and American Airlines – well underway, aircraft of the former US Airways are shedding the familiar red, white and blue paint of the last 10 years for the most recent American Airlines paint scheme.  American’s new look, introduced in January 2013, was first applied to an ex-US Airways aircraft – an Airbus A319 – in January 2014.

Former US Airways aircraft, the vast majority of which are Airbus A319s, A320s and A321s, are scheduled to be painted in the new scheme by mid-2016.  That’s little more than a year from now so get out and capture some aviation history near you soon.

(above) Some 90 Airbus A321s were operated by US Airways when its fleet was transferred to American Airlines Group in September 2013. The first example entered service in January 2001 and, although the two airlines are now one, deliveries against the most recent order placed by US Airways continue.  In this view, crew and passengers aboard a fairly new N570UW, in service since October 2013, are minutes from arrival at Orlando International Airport, Florida in August 2014.

(below)  Eventually, the ex-US Airways A321s will be repainted in the new American Airlines scheme displayed here.  This aircraft, N126AN seen during an early morning departure from Orlando in February 2015, is not one of them but is representative of 65 A321s ordered by American and was handed over to the airline in October 2014.  The large wingtip winglets make American’s new A321s instantly distinguishable from the transferred US Airways machines.