Painting a Merger

Tempe-based U-S Airways continues to merge its operations with parent America West airlines.  Some decisions are made behind closed doors by top-level executives.  Other decisions however, not so much.  KJZZ’s Tony Ganzer reports.

TG: Here’s a bit of a trivia question:  How long, and how do you paint a fleet of planes after a high-profile merger?

KIRBY:  “It’s a good question…”

TG: U-S Airways’ new president Scott Kirby.

KIRBY:  “We actually continue to paint the aircraft.  We should have all done by first quarter of next year.”

TG: U.S. Airways and America West Airlines merged last year.  The companies are still working to better streamline operations of baggage handling, and union contracts.
But the logistics of plane painting, are a little more tangible.

KIRBY:  “ We have up to 5 paint lines we call them…takes 7 days to paint them…then it takes a couple days for the paint to dry.  Once one airplane leaves, another plane is flown in. In the slow periods we paint more, during the peaks we paint less.”

TG: Kirby says paint priority is given to America West planes, before touch-ups are given to the red, white and blue U-S Airways planes.
Post merger, American West decided to keep both the U-S Airways name, and plane paint jobs.

For KJZZ, I’m Tony Ganzer.

Have something to add?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

No thanks

AnthonyGanzer.com