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.

Planes...on KJZZ