AIRLINES

America West Gets Reprieve: The Arizona-based airline announced that it received $53 million in loans needed to stay in business, and the man who helped organize the financing was named the carrier’s new chairman. The new chairman, Phoenix businessman Bill Franke, was asked by Arizona Gov. Fife Symington to get financing from the airline’s leasing companies, the state and various businesses. Franke will replace Mike Conway as chairman of the board, and Conway will remain a director and president. An spokesman for the carrier said the financing deal was sealed Thursday, eight days after a bankruptcy court judge let the company take on more debt. Two of the airline’s aircraft leasors, GPA Group Ltd. of Ireland and Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services of Australia, contributed $35 million and $10 million.