US Airways is continuing to source Airbus A340 aircraft for its planned Philadelphia-Beijing service, but says it has been “unable to locate airplanes that suit our needs”, as Boeing 787 customers snatch up available capacity to offset that program’s delay, and Asian and Middle Eastern carriers seek to renew their fleets.

The 787 delay “definitely made the problem worse”, said senior VP, schedule planning and alliances Andrew Nocella today during US Airways’ annual media day event in Tempe, Arizona.

A significant amount of new widebody lift is destined for US Airways in the next couple of years; delivery of new Airbus A330-200s will begin in 2009. By 2011, the carrier will operate 17 of the type. Airbus A350 deliveries to US Airways begin in 2014 and run through 2017

Although US Airways has rights to convert some A330s to A340s, the carrier no longer has “the time to alter” the A330 order for A340s deliveries to support the March 2009 launch of Bei

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