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| Founded | 1980[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | October 12, 1980[1] | |||
| Hubs | As US Airways Express: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Charlotte/Douglas International Airport As United Express: Denver International Airport Washington Dulles International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport |
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| Fleet size | 113 | |||
| Destinations | 165 | |||
| Parent company | Mesa Air Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MESA) | |||
| Headquarters | Phoenix, Arizona | |||
| Key people | Jonathan G. Ornstein (CEO) | |||
| Website | http://www.mesa-air.com | |||
Mesa Airlines, Inc. (NASDAQ: MESA) is an American regional airline based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is a FAA Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number MASA036A issued on June 29, 1979. It is a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It was known briefly as Mountain West Airlines from 1995 to 1996. It operates flights as United Express, US Airways Express, Delta Connection (via Freedom Airlines), and under the brand Go! for flights within the Hawaiian Islands. It serves more than 180 markets in the Western Hemisphere. Mesa's safety record was noted as having the fewest incidents among domestic regional airlines in the Journal of Air Transportation.[2]
Contents
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Airline operations
Mesa Airlines operates as:[3]
- US Airways Express is a mainline airline marketing sub-brand using a separately liveried fleet of Bombardier CRJ 200s, 900s, and De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft under a revenue-guarantee code sharing agreement. Its hubs are in Phoenix and Charlotte.
- United Express is a mainline airline marketing sub-brand using a separately liveried fleet of Bombardier CRJ 700, Bombardier CRJ 200, and the De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft under a revenue-guarantee code sharing agreement. Its hubs are in Washington Dulles, Chicago O'Hare and Denver.
- go! is a brand using a separately liveried fleet of Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft from its hub in Honolulu.
Former airline divisions
- CalPac (California Pacific) (1993-1995)
- Desert Sun Airlines (1995-1996)
- FloridaGulf Airlines (1991-1997)
- Liberty Express Airlines (1994-1997)
- Mountain West Airlines (1995-1996)
- Skyway Airlines (1989-1994)
- Superior Airlines (1994-1995)
- Air Midwest (1991-2008)
History
From 1989 to 1998, Mesa Airlines operated as a conglomeration of up to eight separate airlines. For the history of the acquisition and expansion of Mesa Airlines during this time frame see Mesa Air Group. The following history section details the history of the individual airlines that comprised Mesa Airlines during this time frame:
Mesa Airlines / Mountain West Airlines
Mesa Airlines was known briefly as Mountain West Airlines from 1995 to 1997. It has had up to four separate operations based on code share partners. As of October 2006, only its America West Express and United Express operations remain in service.[citation needed]
Independent
The original Mesa Airlines operation was founded by Larry and Jane Risley of Farmington, New Mexico, as the flight division of JB Aviation in 1980. In 1982, it began service as Mesa Air Shuttle. Over the next five years it established a presence in New Mexico and built its Albuquerque hub. It eventually expanded into a hub in Phoenix. In 1992, when Mesa established a code share with America West, its Phoenix hub was turned over to the America West Express division.
In 1997, Mesa established a hub at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, using two Bombardier CRJ aircraft, providing service from Fort Worth to San Antonio, Austin, Houston Hobby, and Colorado Springs. The venture was short-lived and the hub was eliminated during corporate restructuring. The Albuquerque hub was merged into Air Midwest.[citation needed]
In the late 1990s Mesa still had its headquarters in Farmington.[4]
America West Express
In September 1992, Mesa negotiated a code sharing agreement with America West to operate out of its Phoenix hub, serving 12 cities. These routes were originally from the independent Mesa operation. The code share allowed increased frequency and increased load factors and expansion into several new markets.
In 1997, Desert Sun Airlines was merged into this division and its Fokker F70s were replaced by Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft. The CRJ-200 aircraft also began replacing the Beechcraft 1900 as the 1900s were transitioned over to Mesa's Air Midwest subsidiary. Beginning in December 1997, Mesa began operating de Havilland Canada Dash 8-200 aircraft between Phoenix and Grand Junction. In 2003, Mesa Airlines took over the operations of Freedom Airlines and Freedom Airlines' CRJ-900s were transferred into the America West Express operation.
On September 16, 2005, America West and US Airways completed their merger. Although the companies merged, as of May 2008, the two flight operations have not been merged and Mesa continues to code share with the new US Airways Group as US Airways Express under its America West Express code share agreement. It operates CRJ-200 and CRJ-900 aircraft from hubs in Charlotte and Phoenix, and Dash-8 aircraft from its Phoenix hub.[citation needed]
US Airways Express
In November 1997, Mesa negotiated a code share agreement to provide service to US Airways as US Airways Express for 14 turbojets to various cities from its Philadelphia and Charlotte, North Carolina hubs. In 1998 and 2000, the agreement was expanded to 28 jets and then to 52 jets. The first CRJ-200 aircraft began operating in 1998. As Mesa began taking deliveries of the Embraer 145 aircraft in 2000, the CRJs were transferred to the America West division, separating the fleet types.
In 2003, 20 CRJ-200 aircraft were reintroduced to the US Airways Express division. With the reintroduction of the CRJ, the CRJ-200 aircraft operated out of the Philadelphia hub, and the ERJ-145 aircraft operated out of the Charlotte hub.
In 2005, Mesa's code share agreement with US Airways was not reaffirmed in bankruptcy court, and Mesa began transitioning the aircraft to other code shares. Twenty-six ERJ aircraft were transitioned to Freedom Airlines, and the CRJ and remaining ERJs were transferred to Mesa's United Express operation.[citation needed] However, following the America West Airlines merger later that year, the Mesa contract for America West Express was retained and expanded to include non-former America West Express routes.
United Express
In 1990, Mesa acquired Aspen Airways Denver hub and routes, except for Aspen's Denver to Aspen route. It attempted to acquire Aspen's code share with United, however United was unwilling to code share with an airline that only operated 19-seat turboprops. Mesa leased Embraer-120 Brasilias from its former competitor in New Mexico, Air Midwest. With the Brasilias in hand, Mesa gained a code share with United for its Denver hub.
In 1995, California Pacific and its Los Angeles hub was merged into Mesa's United Express operation. After the closing of Superior Airlines Columbus hub, its aircraft and crews were used to expand United Express into Portland and Seattle. In 1997, operational difficulties with the Denver hub and disagreements over the renewal of Mesa's WestAir subsidiary code share with United resulted in the cancellation of Mesa's code share.
In 2003, Mesa renegotiated a code share agreement with United with a hub in Denver. As of October 2008, Mesa operates CRJ-200 and CRJ-700 aircraft from its Chicago and Washington Dulles hubs, and Dash-8 and CRJ-700 aircraft from its Denver hub.[citation needed]. In October 2009 United has decided to exercise it's early termination option for it's Dash 8 flying. The Dash-8 flying will be done by April 30th 2010 Reuters". At the same time United decided not to extend it's CRJ-200, as a result All of the Mesa CRJ-200s (26 aircrafts) flying under United Express will end on April 30th, 2010.AP"
Skyway Airlines
The Skyway Airlines division was Mesa's first foray into the Midwest. Skyway was formed in 1989 when Mesa established a code share agreement with Midwest Express and a Milwaukee hub. From Milwaukee, Mesa served 25 cities in nine states in the upper Midwest region, using Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. Upon expiration of the code share in 1994, it was not renewed. Midwest Express kept the Skyway Airlines name and routes, forming Astral Airways to fill the void as Mesa ceased service in Milwaukee. Mesa reallocated the aircraft and crews to start Superior Airlines in its Columbus, Ohio hub for America West Express.[citation needed]
FloridaGulf Airlines
The FloridaGulf Airlines division was formed in 1991 after Mesa's acquisition of Air Midwest. Air Midwest's CEO, Robert Priddy, was chosen to start up the operation. It operated under a code share agreement with USAir and was a USAir Express carrier. It started with a Tampa hub, providing service to Florida and the southeast United States using Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. Additional hubs in Orlando and New Orleans were established. In 1993, the airline expanded into the Northeast, with a hub in Boston and eventually Philadelphia. In 1994, six Embraer-120 Braslia aircraft were added. By the time it was merged into Air Midwest, in 1997, it was operating 44 Beechcraft 1900 and 9 Embraer-120 aircraft serving 49 destinations.[citation needed]
Superior Airlines
After the Skyway Airlines division ceased operation, Mesa allocated the aircraft and crews and formed Superior Airlines in 1994 to provide service from a Columbus, Ohio hub for America West Express. By 2000 the aircraft and crews, which consisted of CRJ-200s (CL-65s), were being operated by Mesa Airlines itself. America West Airlines closed its Columbus hub in 2003 and Mesa again reallocated the assets this time to its newly reacquired United Express operation.
CalPac (California Pacific)
Mesa created CalPac (California Pacific) in 1993, establishing a United Express carrier with a Los Angeles hub. It utilized Beechcraft 1900 and Embraer-120 aircraft to serve 12 destinations. In 1995, the airline division was merged into Mesa's United Express operation.
Liberty Express Airlines
In 1994, Mesa acquired Pittsburgh-based Crown Airways. Using the assets from Crown Airways, Mesa established Liberty Express with its hub in Pittsburgh and a code share with USAir. In 1997, it was merged into Air Midwest, operating 14 Beechcraft 1900 aircraft serving 17 destinations.
Desert Sun Airlines
The Desert Sun Airlines division was created in 1995 to inaugurate Mesa's first jet service utilizing Fokker F-70 aircraft. It operated as America West Express from a Phoenix hub. The first two cities to receive jet service were Spokane and Des Moines. In 1996, the division was merged into Mesa's America West Express operation, and the Fokker F-70 aircraft were replaced by Bombardier CRJ aircraft as they were introduced.
go!
In 2006, Mesa formed Go! in the Hawaiian islands, using 5 Bombardier CRJ aircraft from its Honolulu hub. It established a code share with Mokulele Airlines, which will serve airports that cannot accept jet aircraft and provide point-to-point service in between the islands with turboprop Cessna Caravan's. They currently operate 5 CRJ's in Hawaii.
Mesa's Go! has been involved in multiple lawsuits with Hawaiian and Aloha Airlines and was also investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration for an incident on February 13, 2008 where both pilots fell asleep during a regularly scheduled 36 minute flight between Honolulu and Hilo. Go!'s flight 1002 overshot Hilo Airport by 15 miles, remaining 21,000 feet in the air as they missed the destination. Air traffic controllers were unable to reach the two pilots for 25 minutes, after which contact was re-established and the aircraft returned for a safe landing in Hilo.[5][6]
Mesa's Go! was also blamed for the March 31, 2008 shutdown of Aloha Airlines due to predatory fares.[citation needed]
Kunpeng Airlines
Kunpeng Airlines was formed as a joint venture between Mesa Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines of China. They began flying in October 2007 with 3 CRJ-200 aircraft and currently have 5 in China. The airline originally expected to operate 20 CRJ's prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and plan to expand at a rate of 20 aircraft per year for the next 5 years. All pilots would have been based in Beijing or Xian and the airline initially was to fly to 16 regional airports. Mesa intended to replace the outgoing CRJ-200s with larger regional jets such as the CRJ-700 and 900. Kunpeng has recently decided to delay delivery of CRJ 200 in favor of brand new Embraer 190. All of the Mesa aircraft are being returned.
Crew Bases
- Charlotte, North Carolina (CRJ-900) - US Airways Express
- Chicago, Illinois (CRJ-200/700) - United Express
- Denver, Colorado (DHC-8-200) - United Express
- Grand Junction, Colorado (DHC-8-200) - United Express
- Honolulu, Hawaii (CRJ-200) - Go!
- Kahului, Hawaii (CRJ-200) - Go!
- Kona, Hawaii (CRJ-200) - Go!
- Lihue, Hawaii (CRJ-200) - Go!
- Phoenix, Arizona (DHC-8-200), CRJ-200/900) - US Airways Express
- Washington Dulles International, Virginia (CRJ-200/700) - United Express
Fleet
As of October 2009, the Mesa Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft[7]:
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Options | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier CRJ100/200 | 43 | 0 | 112 | 50 | 26 operated as United Express 11 operated as US Airways Express 2 used for dedicated services 4 stored |
| Bombardier CRJ700 | 20 | 0 | 66 | operated as United Express | |
| Bombardier CRJ900 | 38 | 0 | 86 | operated as US Airways Express | |
| Bombardier Dash 8-200 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 10 operated as United Express 6 operated as US Airways Express |
Incidents
On August 9, 2002, an alcohol smell was noted by security screeners at the Little Rock National Airport on a Mesa Airlines Captain as he arrived to pilot his Embraer ERJ-145LR. The pilot was fired by the airline. A flight attendant and first officer were also suspended pending investigation at the time of the incident.[8][9]
On January 25, 2007, a Mesa Airlines CRJ-200LR with registration N17337 and operating as US Airways Express (in America West Express colors) flight 2985 from Denver International Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport experienced an uncontained failure of its port engine approximate 50 nm (100 km) from Denver. The flight crew declared an emergency and were able to return to Denver without injury to passengers or crew. The incident is the first of its kind for the General Electric CF34-3B1 engine used on the CRJ.[10]
On April 20, 2009 a DeHavilland Dash 8-200 (N449YV) was arriving from Guaymas, Mexico Flight 2957 and taxing into its gate at B24A when the number 2 engine struck a Ground Power Unit (GPU). There were 13 passengers on board, 1 Flight Attendant and 2 pilots. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. Upon further investigation, it was found the fault to be on the Aircraft Marshaller and the wing walker. They were at fault due to the marshaller inexperienced at this particular gate and the appropriate stopping block for this aircraft. Upon further investigation, it was noted that the GPU was approximately 7 feet aft of its required parking space for this particular gate. As of 8/6/09, the Dash 8-200 (N449YV) remains unimpaired at the hanger in Phoenix, Arizona with no anticipated repair date. Estimated repair costs so far have exceeded $1.2 Million Dollars.
On February 13, 2008, the pilots of a Mesa AirlinesBombardier, Inc. CL-600, registration: N651BR doing business as Go! fell asleep and overshot their destination airport with 26 nautical miles before Air Traffic Control was able to make contact with the aircraft. The incident happened on the third consecutive day during which the pilots had been required to start duty at 0540 am. The captain suffered from an undiagnosed severe sleep apnea. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident as follows: "The captain and first officer inadvertently falling asleep during the cruise phase of flight. Contributing to the incident were the captain's undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea and the flight crew’s recent work schedules, which included several consecutive days of early-morning start times."[11]
Notes
- ^ a b Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (2002). North American Airlines Handbook (3rd ed.). Sandpoint, ID: Airways International. ISBN 0-9653993-8-9. http://www.airwaysnews.com.
- ^ Wilson, M.; P. Anne (1997). "Safety Concerns of Startup Airlines". Journal of Air Transportation World Wide 2 (1).
- ^ "Investor Relations Home." Mesa Air Group. Retrieved on January 30, 2009.
- ^ World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 25-31, 1998. 80.
- ^ Daysog, Rick (2008-02-19). "FAA probing whether Go! pilots fell asleep on flight". Honolulu Advertiser. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/BREAKING03/80219050.
- ^ "Airline fires 2 pilots who overshot Hawaii runway". CNN (Associated Press). 2008-04-24. http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/04/24/pilots.fired.ap/index.html. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
- ^ http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=YV&al_op=1 Mesa Airlines fleet list at ch-aviation.ch. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
- ^ Sweedler, B. M. (PDF). Flying High–Alcohol Impaired Airline Pilots–How Big is the Problem and What Are the Countermeasures?. http://www.icadts.org/T2004/pdfs/WS2-6.pdf.
- ^ "Mesa Airlines Pilot Tests Positive For Alcohol Before Flight". CBS News. August 13, 2002. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/13/national/main518532.shtml.
- ^ Croft, John (2007-01-29). "Picture: NTSB investigating first uncontained engine failure of GE CF34-3B1 on Mesa Airlines CRJ200LR Thursday". Flightglobal.com. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/01/29/211811/picture-ntsb-investigating-first-uncontained-engine-failure-of-ge-cf34-3b1-on-mesa-airlines.html. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
- ^ http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20080222X00229&key=1
References
- Graham, Rex (03-01-1987). "And the Winner Is ...". New Mexico Business Journal 11 (3): 17.
- various (various) (PDF). Mesa Airlines Company Reports 1991-1993. The Investext Group.
- Mesa Air Group (various). 1995-2005 Annual Reports.
External links
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