Not completely a surprise, but US Airways has announced its deferring by three years each delivery on 54 aircraft it has on order. This is a huge deal for international flying but has little impact on the airline’s domestic operations.

Widebody: US Airways was due to take five 258-seat A330-200s this year, seven more next year, and another three in 2012. This would allow for significant expansion in intercontinental flying, especially if the airline’s 10 204-seat Boeing 7670-200ERs were retained. The airline also has nine 293-seat A330-300 and a number of smaller Boeing 757s that are used over the Atlantic.

Well, looks like those 767s are staying for awhile as the A330-200 deliveries just got pushed back. The airline will now take a total of seven this year and in early 2010. The other eight though will be pushed back, with five due in 2013 and the last three in 2014.

In addition, the 22 A350s on order will be delivered from 2017 on, not 2015 as previously scheduled.

Given US Airway’s existing schedule, that leaves about two 767s extra, which is enough for the second Brazil route US Airways has proposed (very subject to government approval). After that, if a 757 can’t get it done, forget about it until at least 2013.

Narrowbody: US Airways contract with its pilot’s unions require it to operate a certain minimum number of aircraft. It is at that minimum currently. The airline is also aggressively taking new aircraft to replace older planes.

US Airways was due to take 72 Airbus A320 series aircraft in 2010 – 2012, 18 in 2010, 30 in 2011, and 24 in 2012. The schedule now becomes: 2 in 2010, 12 in 2011, 12 in 2012, 16 in 2013, 18 in 2014, and 12 in 2015. So effectively, 46 planes are each delayed by three years each. An equal number of older leased 757s, and 737-400s and 737-300s will stick around longer until now stick around a bit longer until those replacements arrive. Especially 737-400s, easily the most common US Airways Boeing type CLT sees these days.

Bonus Observation: Anybody talking about how CLT needs a new international concourse any time soon should simply be laughed at.