425 1 p70730ae425.htm 425 e425
 

FILED BY AMERICA WEST HOLDINGS CORPORATION
PURSUANT TO RULE 425 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
AND DEEMED FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 14a-12
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

SUBJECT COMPANY: AMERICA WEST HOLDINGS CORPORATION
COMMISSION FILE NO. 1-12649

Dear America West Customers:

Today America West and US Airways announced an agreement to merge, creating the nation’s largest low-fare, full service airline. With this merger, customers will experience great low fares not only across the U.S., but also to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. While approval is still pending, we want our valued customers to be the first to know about the details of our agreement.

The merger of America West and US Airways will produce the nation’s fifth largest carrier, and will continue to upgrade your low-fare experience by offering a full range of travel amenities not found on other low-fare airlines including:

  •   Service to more than 200 domestic and international destinations, including transatlantic destinations
 
  •   Worldwide frequent flyer redemption to six continents
 
  •   Affordable, full-service First Class
 
  •   Airport clubs with business amenities
 
  •   Assigned seats
 
  •   In-flight entertainment
 
  •   Meals available for purchase in-flight

Upon approval and closing, which we anticipate to occur this fall, the merged airline will operate as US Airways under the leadership of Doug Parker, America West’s current chairman, CEO, and president.

In the coming months and in addition to the amenities listed above, customers will have greater opportunities to earn and use miles. No immediate merger-related changes to our award-winning FlightFund program are scheduled to take place, but after the merger is approved, FlightFund and US Airways’ Dividend Miles program will eventually be combined to create the industry’s premier frequent flyer program. Of course, all miles earned in either program prior to the creation of the new program will retain their full value for redemption on the combined carrier.

Complete details of the merger will take some time to finalize, but in the meantime, our routes, schedules, destinations, frequent flyer program, and airline alliance partnerships will remain the same.

Please continue to use americawest.com to make reservations, check in for your flight online, check the status of a flight, or manage your FlightFund account. You may also continue to use the America West reservations center at 800-2 FLY AWA for all your reservations needs.

Thank you for your support of America West Airlines over the past 22 years. With today’s announcement, although our name may ultimately change to reflect the global reach of our new company, what won’t be changing is the spirit of America West. It has been our pleasure to serve you across North and Central America, and we look forward to traveling with you to new and exciting destinations.

Doug Parker

 


 

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain of the statements contained herein should be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward looking statements may be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “could,” “should,” and “continue” and similar terms used in connection with statements regarding the companies’ outlook, expected fuel costs, the RASM environment, and the companies’ respective expected 2005 financial performance. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the business combination transaction involving America West Holdings Corporation (“America West”) and US Airways Group, Inc. (“US Airways” and, together with America West, the “companies”), including future financial and operating results, the companies’ plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of America West and US Airways’ management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the companies’ actual results and financial position to differ materially from these statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the ability of the companies to obtain and maintain any necessary financing for operations and other purposes, whether debtor-in-possession financing, in the case of US Airways, or other financing; the ability of the companies to maintain adequate liquidity; the duration and extent of the current soft economic conditions; the impact of global instability including the continuing impact of the continued military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and the potential impact of future hostilities, terrorist attacks, infectious disease outbreaks or other global events; changes in prevailing interest rates; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the ability of the companies to attract and retain customers; the cyclical nature of the airline industry; competitive practices in the industry, including significant fare restructuring activities by major airlines; the impact of changes in fuel prices; economic conditions; labor costs; security-related and insurance costs; weather conditions; government legislation and regulation; relations with unionized employees generally and the impact and outcome of the labor negotiations; US Airways ability to continue as a going concern; US Airways’ ability to obtain court approval with respect to motions in the Chapter 11 proceedings prosecuted by it from time to time; the ability of US Airways to develop, prosecute, confirm and consummate one or more plans of reorganization with respect to the Chapter 11 proceedings; risks associated with third parties seeking and obtaining court approval to terminate or shorten the exclusivity period for US Airways to propose and confirm one or more plans of reorganization, to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee or to convert the cases to Chapter 7 cases; the ability of US Airways to obtain and maintain normal terms with vendors and service providers; US Airways’ ability to maintain contracts that are critical to its operations; the potential adverse impact of the Chapter 11 proceedings on US Airways’ liquidity or results of operations; the ability of US Airways to operate pursuant to the terms of its financing facilities (particularly the financial covenants); the ability of US Airways to fund and execute its Transformation Plan during the Chapter 11 proceedings and in the context of a plan of reorganization and thereafter; and other risks and uncertainties listed from time to time in the companies’ repo rts to the SEC. There may be other factors not identified above of which the companies are not currently aware that may affect matters discussed in the forward-looking statements, and may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. The companies assume no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law. Similarly, these and other factors, including the terms of any reorganization plan of US Airways ultimately confirmed, can affect the value of the US Airways’ various prepetition liabilities, common stock and/or other equity securities. Accordingly, the companies urge that the appropriate caution be exercised with respect to existing and future investments in any of these liabilities and/or securities. Additional factors that may affect the future results of America West and US Airways are set forth in their respective filings with the SEC, which are available at http://www.shareholder.com/americawest/edgar.cfm and http://investor.usairways.com/edgar.cfm, respectively.

 


 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

In connection with the proposed transaction, a registration statement, including a proxy statement of America West Holdings, and other materials will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). WE URGE INVESTORS TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PROXY STATEMENT AND THESE OTHER MATERIALS CAREFULLY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and proxy statement (when available) as well as other filed documents containing information about US Airways and America West at http://www.sec.gov, the SEC’s website. Free copies of America West’s SEC filings are also available on America West’s website at http://www.shareholder.com/americawest/edgar.cfm, or by request to Investor Relations, America West Holdings Corporation, 111 West Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, Arizona 85281. Free copies of US Airways’ SEC filings are also available on US Airways’ website at http://investor.usairways.com/edgar.cfm or by request to Investor Relations, US Airways Group, Inc., 2345 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22224.

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there by any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION

America West, US Airways and their respective executive officers and directors may be deemed, under SEC rules, to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from America West’s stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction. Information regarding the officers and directors of America West is included in its definitive proxy statement for its 2005 Annual Meeting filed with the SEC on April 15, 2005. Information regarding the officers and directors of US Airways is included in its 2004 Annual Report filed with the SEC on Form 10-K on March 1, 2005. More detailed information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their interests in the solicitation, will be set forth in the registration statement and proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.