New US Airways livery reveiled.

Press Release Source: America West Airlines; US Airways

America West and US Airways Unveil New, Combined Look
Tuesday August 23, 7:00 am ET
New Livery Celebrates More Than 65 Years of History

PHOENIX, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — America West Airlines (NYSE: AWA – News), and US Airways (OTC Bulletin Board: UAIRQ – News) will show a fresh new face to the world as they unveil the livery, or aircraft paint scheme, that will represent the new airline when America West and US Airways merge. Employees of both airlines — some sporting “retro” uniforms heralding back to various periods in the airlines’ pasts — will celebrate the new paint scheme as a freshly painted Airbus A320 makes its way across the country, stopping for special events today in Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Charlotte, N.C.; Las Vegas; and Phoenix.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050823/LATU027 )

Onboard the aircraft will be the merged company’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker, Vice Chairman Bruce Lakefield, employees representing America West and US Airways, and union leaders from both companies.

Celebrations will take place nationwide as the plane lands in the hubs and secondary hubs of the combined airline. The unveiling starts in Philadelphia at 7 a.m. (EDT), and ends in Phoenix at 6:30 p.m. (PDT).

The new livery is a fusion of both carriers’ existing designs, featuring updated editions of the US Airways stylized version of the flag and the waving stripes inspired by those that stream across the sides of current America West aircraft. Near the aircraft door, the airline has positioned a Heritage mark that incorporates the classic logos of some of the largest airlines that have merged over the years to create the new US Airways: Allegheny Airlines, America West, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) and Piedmont Airlines. In addition, “throwback” aircraft, which will be painted entirely in the classic liveries of these airlines, will pay permanent tribute to each of them.

Operational needs and employee suggestions were considered in the design of the new livery, with the hotter climates of the Phoenix and Las Vegas hubs making the lighter blend of colors both an aesthetic and comfortable choice. In addition, lighter tones of paint tend to last longer and are easier to keep clean.

“Today we celebrate our individual pasts while looking towards a collective, bright future,” said Parker. “While we recognize much work remains, we are making remarkable progress in creating a well funded, national low-cost carrier. Today’s new look visually represents US Airways’ fresh new start. The industry expertise of employees from the great airlines of our past is what ultimately will make the new US Airways a success as we move forward together toward a brighter future.”

“We are excited to position the new US Airways in a way that pays tribute to all of the great airlines and the employees who will comprise the merged airline,” said Bruce R. Lakefield, US Airways president and chief executive officer. “The pride and dedication of our employees has brought us this far, and those same qualities will enable us to become a stronger and more competitive airline.”

The new livery will eventually be flown by the combined fleet of approximately 360 mainline aircraft and will also appear on the approximately 350 regional aircraft that will be operating on the US Airways Express routes. Here are some facts regarding the process of transitioning the combined fleets to the new US Airways livery:

* Typically, 60 gallons of paint are required to paint an aircraft
* It takes about 72 hours for the paint to dry
* The entire process, on average, requires a plane to be out of service
for eight to nine days
* Lighter colors of paint tend to last longer and keep the plane cooler
* Aircraft require repainting every six to seven years, depending on how
the coat is maintained and polished
* America West last updated its livery in 1996 and US Airways did so
in 1997
* The new US Airways livery was designed entirely in-house

About America West
Approximately 60,000 customers upgrade their low-fare experience every day when they get on board America West. The airline’s 14,000 employees are proud to offer a range of services including more destinations than any other low-cost carrier, first-class cabins, assigned seating, airport clubs and an award-winning frequent flyer program. America West operates over 900 flights daily to more than 90 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. This press release, photos of the new livery, and additional information on America West and US Airways can be accessed online at http://www.americawest.com and http://www.usairways.com.

About US Airways

US Airways is the nation’s seventh-largest airline, serving 183 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and the US Airways Express partner carriers operate approximately 3,400 flights per day. (AWAG).

I can’t wait to see the classic livery aircraft flying around, especially PSA.