On January 4, 1989, Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and Braniff International Corporation successor Dalfort Corporation's subsidiary, Braniff, Inc., announced a firm order for fifty new Airbus A320-231 medium density twin-engine jet aircraft. The deal was valued at $3.5 billion USD and included an option for an additional 50 aircraft, which, if exercised, would bring Braniff's total to 100 A320s. The first fifty aircraft were scheduled to begin delivery to the carrier in July 1989, with the last jet being delivered in 1995. Very few of the jets would be delivered to Braniff as a result of the carrier's financial problems and subsequent liquidation.
Pan American World Airways had originally ordered the first 50 A320s that Braniff would receive. Pan Am, unable to accept the order due to financial problems that had plagued the international conglomerate since the early 1970s, assigned their firm orders of 16 aircraft and options for 34 additional units to Braniff. The new Braniff chose to accept the 16 firm orders and then immediately exercised the options for the other A320s. The new aircraft would double Braniff's fleet bringing its total to 171 jet aircraft.
Braniff, Inc., Chairman of the Board William G. McGee announced the purchase at a press conference on January 4, 1989. Mr. McGee stated that, "These aircraft will represent an order valued at approximately $3.5 Billion USD. Coupled with our existing fleet and prior orders and options, they would ultimately give Braniff a fleet of 171 jet aircraft." He further noted that, " These A320 aircraft are modern, highly efficient and quiet. Their longer range, higher payload and lower operating costs will help keep Braniff competitive for years to come. Our passengers will enjoy the widest interior cabin and the largest overhead storage bins on any comparable aircraft flying today."
McGee discussed the highly advanced electronic flight management system that had become a hallmark of Airbus aircraft. The new jets featured computer assisted flight decks, which provided Braniff crews the highest level assistance available in any jet flying in 1989.
Airbus Industrie President and Chief Executive Officer Jean Pierson also commented about the historic Braniff purchase, "We look forward to welcoming Braniff to the ranks of the world's airlines which operate the most technologically advanced aircraft available, the A320, which has already received commitments for 700 units." James A. Bryan, Jr., Airbus North America President and CEO also noted that the A320 was the perfect aircraft to meet the demands of Braniff's aggressive growth and fleet modernization program. He stated that the A320s size, range, and passenger appeal were the perfect complement to Braniff's service and existing fleet.
Braniff, Inc., a subsidiary of BIA-COR Holdings, Inc., a group headed by Jeffrey Chodorow and Author Cohen, arranged financing for some of the new Airbus jets through a private firm. Guiness Peat Aviation, based in Shannon, Ireland, provided financing on a long-term operating lease for 26 of the new airliners. An additional 16 aircraft were financed jointly by Airbus Industrie and International Aero Engines who produced the V2500 fanjet engines used to power the new A320s. The financing for the remaining 58 aircraft were the responsibility of Braniff, Inc., and assumed that the additional 50 options would be exercised.
At the press conference, Chairman McGee, detailed the progress that had been made over the past six months at Braniff, Inc. He stated that the carrier had also placed firm orders for 12 Fokker F-100 Twinjet aircraft with options for six additional aircraft. The short haul low-density Fokkers would replace the aging BAC One-11 Twinjet fleet but none of the orders were delivered.
McGee further explained that a redeployment of Braniff's fleet provided 84 daily jet departures at the company's expanded Kansas City, Missouri, hub. Braniff operations at Kansas City, already strong at the airport, were up from fifty only six months earlier. Destinations from Kansas City that featured three or more daily nonstop departures were increased to 20 from six. A new code sharing agreement was also entered into at Kansas City, with two regional carriers, operating as Braniff Express, that provided more than 120 daily flights to feed Braniff's 84 departures at Kansas City. Braniff also entered into an agreement with the Kansas City Airport that gave the carrier control of over 50-percent of the jet parking positions at the modern terminals.
Braniff Airways, Incorporated, Copyright, Text and Video