Mesa Places Aircraft At Delta And United

funguy2

Veteran
Aug 20, 2002
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According to recent announcements made by Mesa Air Group, they have contracted to fly 30 CRJ-200's for Delta and 30 additional CRJ-200/700's for United.

Mesa Air Group, Delta Air Lines Announce Strategic Partnership

Mesa Air Group, Inc. Announces Agreement With United Airlines to Expand

The press release for Delta specifically says 30 CRJ-200's.

The new Delta Connection agreement provides for Freedom Airlines to operate up to 30 CRJ200 aircraft on routes throughout Delta's network for a period of 12 years, with the first aircraft planned to enter Delta Connection service as early as October 2005.

The press release for United specifically says 30 CRJ-200's, up to 15 of which may be converted to CRJ-700's.

Mesa Air Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MESA - News) announced today that it has reached an agreement with United Airlines, Inc. to operate an additional thirty (30) 50-seat regional jets. These additional thirty (30) aircraft are expected to go into service within twelve (12) months and will bring the total United Express fleet for Mesa to 70 aircraft: 45 CRJ-200, 15 CRJ-700 and 10 Dash 8. Mesa also has the right to convert up to 15 CRJ-200 to CRJ-700 aircraft through April 2010.

Everybody seemed to be under the impression, after the Delta deal, that these aircraft were coming from the US Airways Express service. Mesa currently operates 23 CRJ-200s and 36 ERJ-145s, according to other posts on US Aviation.com. This was supported by an ATW article which speculated on where Mesa would "get the other 7 aircraft".

However, with this United announcement today, perhaps Mesa has a strategy other than reducing its aircraft operating for US Airways.

Anyone know what the strategy is?

Clearly there are a few options...

Remove 23 CRJ-200s from US Airways, send to Delta. Order 15 CRJ-700's for United... Find 22 used (or new) CRJ-200's for the balance.

Keep US Airways intact and order new/used CRJ-200/700s for new contracts.

Dissolve US Airways relationship, and come to an agreement with UAL and/or DAL to substitute some ERJ-145's.

Anybody have any insight into this? What kind of aircraft orders does Mesa have on the books?

I think this is a very interesting development in the regional carriers "musical chairs" situation sparked by UAL and US Airways' BK's.
 
funguy2 said:
What kind of aircraft orders does Mesa have on the books?
[post="269306"][/post]​

According to their latest quarterly report (qtr ended 3/31/05) they had:

For 2005:
Firm orders for 8 CRJ-900's
Options for 7 CRJ-900/700's

For 2006:
Firm orders for 7 CRJ-900's (some convertible to -700's)
Options for 5 CRJ-900/700's
Options for 2 ERJ-145's

For 2007:
Options for 8 CRJ-900/700's
Options for 12 ERJ-145's

For 2008:
Options for 12 ERJ-145's

For 2009:
Options for 12 ERJ-145's

For 2001 and beyond:
Options for 40 CRJ-900/700's
Options for 7 ERJ-145's

I assume that the CRJ900/700's can be either model. I further assume that the ERJ-145's could possibly be changed to the Emb-170 family.

Jim
 
Who cares where they get the jets???? Just get them out of the U system...Let them charge DAL and UAL cost plus for awful service!!!! Let them wastefully burn some other airlines fuel!!! Any news of Johnny O sticking aircraft out of the U system is good news!!! :up:
 
smfav8r said:
Who cares where they get the jets???? Just get them out of the U system...Let them charge DAL and UAL cost plus for awful service!!!! Let them wastefully burn some other airlines fuel!!! Any news of Johnny O sticking aircraft out of the U system is good news!!! :up:
[post="269394"][/post]​

It's been great working with you as well. This kind of attitude (which we get from every station, ground and gate) is why I am more than happy to leave the dysfunctional Usairways family.
 
attitude??? If the shoe fits!!!!

If you think the U family is dysfunctional, just wait!!!
Comair/ASA employees already view CHQ as replacement jets, what will they think about MESA????

It's not the employees of MESA that annoy most, including myself, it's who they represent!!! Good old Jonny O!!!

The man has made millions, if not billions off the backs of his own employees and other airlines. Don't know how long you have worked for MESA, but Jonny only wants you as an employee for a couple of years...otherwise, you cost him too much money...

In other words, he knows that he can have lots of cost plus(ie.profit no matter what) business by low bidding segment lengths for a code-share!!!
He also knows that he will make much more money with the new hire F/O in the right seat and junior Capt in the left!!!
This is the exact crew he would like for every flight....the cheapest! I know it doesn't always work out for him due to the current job market, but that's what he would like!!!

How does it feel to work for someone who doesn't want you around when you make to much money and his whole business plan is to take jobs away from others???

If the shoe fits :up: