Airbus Drops Pledge For 57 Usair Planes

USAir has lost a guarantee for delivery of 57 new jets that it had planned to receive in the next three years, an Airbus spokesman said Thursday.

In November, USAir proudly ordered up to 400 new Airbus planes worth up to $18 billion in a deal that included a provision that the planes not be delivered unless USAir was able to reduce its operating costs.

The airline hasn’t yet accomplished that. It began negotiating this month with the union representing its 5,000 pilots to resolve critical wage and productivity issues, but no deal is yet in sight.

Airbus said the decision to shop around the planes wasn’t directly linked to the direction of the union talks, but it clearly puts pressure on the talks.

The airline and the Air Line Pilots Association refused to comment Thursday.