Non-owned express flying(routes) are BID on by the express carriers. They work their own deal with Airways. Airways does have some say as to what equipment they would like and frequencys, etc. However, if MESA(or any other express carrier) wants a spare aircraft or crews sitting around, they can have as many as they want, but it is on their dime. Airways or any other carrier should not have to pay for their express carriers to have $$millions$$ of dollars worth of aircraft sitting around as spares. They have a contract/agreement to provide the service they signed up for and it is up to them to provide it. We all know that penny-pinching JO is not going to spend one nickel to make MESA look better by having any spares.
I do agree that weather is not the fault of any carrier.
Dorf
The post above deals with most of inaccuries of this post. Regarding the spares. If you look at these deals in a simple way, Airways rents the airplanes from Mesa. After this point it is up to Airways to what they want to do with these rented airplanes. Mesa's Delta deal requires Mesa to have a spare (that Delta pays for) because they care about there product. Remember, all this flying is done under the Mainline colors with there passengers. Airways chooses to maximize use of the airplanes and leaves Mesa with no spares (except on SAT). As I said before, they must assume they can cover the flying with the Mainline spares. That’s fine. But don't look at it as Mainline bailing out Mesa. Not the case. -Cape
Prove that I'm wrong? Or better yet, keep reading this thread and someone like Jim who you respect and knows what he is talking will chime in and tell you your wrong.You are so very wrong, but think what you'd like if it makes you happy.
In the mean time let me give you another example to ponder. Jetblue starts flying JFK-CLT-JFK. Airways wants to compete so the shift a Mesa 900 from another route and start service from CLT-JFK. This was done by Airways not Mesa like you seem to think. Mesa doesn't care where the airplanes fly, we get paid be segment not passengers. AIRWAYS CONTROLS THE AIRPLANES. -Cape