The airline is requesting the delay "out of an abundance of caution and to account for the possibility that unforseen (sic) developments materialize," US Airways said in court documents filed late Monday. Such extensions are common in bankruptcy cases.
Agreements with key creditors still call for a tighter timeline. Under terms of a deal with General Electric Co., which has a financial stake in more than half the airline's planes, the airline must leave bankruptcy protection by July 1. A deal with the federal panel that backs a $718 million loan cuts off the airline's ability to spend money after June 30.
If approved as expected, the court extension could set the stage for pushing those deadlines back. A GE spokesman declined comment on that possibility, and a spokeswoman for the loan board could not be reached.
Charlotte is US Airways' largest hub and home to about 5,700 of its 27,000 workers. Since the carrier filed for bankruptcy protection in September, it has reached cost-cutting agreements with major unions and found pledges of $250 million in outside investment. It is still working on finding an additional $100 million it needs to leave bankruptcy protection.
US Airways spokesman David Castelveter said the airline continues to make progress in its restructuring.
"There's nothing unusual about filing an extension," he said.
This is the second extension US Airways has sought. United Airlines, in bankruptcy court since 2002, has sought and received numerous extensions.
US Airways is also seeking a May 31 court deadline to file a reorganization plan. An agreement with GE originally required the airline to file by Feb. 15, but GE has agreed to extend that date twice, to April 15.
