Mesaba Airlines
Encyclopedia
Mesaba Airlines is an American
regional airline
based in Eagan, Minnesota
. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation. Its flights are operated under the name Delta Connection
for Delta Air Lines
and US Airways Express
for US Airways
.
, misaabe: "Soaring Eagle") was founded in 1944 by Gordy Newstrom in the Mesabi Range
city of Coleraine, Minnesota
and started operations in the same year under the name of Mesaba Aviation. It had one airplane, a Piper Cub purchased for $1,300, and it was used to shuttle employees of the Blandin Paper Mill Company from Grand Rapids, Minnesota
to Minneapolis. In 1950 Newstrom moved the company to Grand Rapids.
In 1970, the Halverson family of Duluth, Minnesota
bought Mesaba from Newstrom. On 4 February 1973, they started regularly scheduled airline services serving rural Minnesota communities.
The Swenson family of Thief River Falls, Minnesota
purchased Mesaba Aviation in 1977. They took the company public in 1982 as the airline began flying to Iowa
, North Dakota
and South Dakota
, using a fleet of Beech 99s
.
In 1983, Mesaba became a codeshare partner of Republic Airlines
, flying turboprop
aircraft from small regional communities to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
. In 1986, after the merger of Republic Airlines and Northwest Orient Airlines, Mesaba transitioned their codeshare partnership, and began operations as a Northwest Airlink
carrier.
Mesaba began feeder service from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
to small airports across the east and midwest using Fokker F27
and Fairchild Metro aircraft in 1988. Maintenance bases were established both in Detroit and Wausau, Wisconsin
.
In 1991, Mesaba began adding the first of 25 De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft (leased from Northwest Airlines) to begin replacing the Fokker F-27's.
In 1995, Mesaba and Northwest reached an agreement to provide service with Saab 340
turboprop aircraft. By 1996, Mesaba's fleet consisted of 55 aircraft, with projections of 2006 predicting a fleet of 114 aircraft. The company employed 1,540 employees.
At one time Mesaba had its headquarters on the grounds of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in Fort Snelling
, unincorporated
Hennepin County, Minnesota
.
Northwest's Memphis hub was served exclusively by Airlink partner Express Airlines I, now Pinnacle Airlines
, until 1997, when Mesaba began jet aircraft
service using the Avro RJ-85
, the first regional jet
to be flown by either Airlink airline. Mesaba was split off at this time into Airways Corporation to address objections from Northwest over their operation of a jet fleet. Mesaba also became the first regional airline to have a first class seating option. Eventually, as Pinnacle transitioned to an all Canadair Regional Jet fleet, Mesaba took over all Northwest Airlink
Saab 340
operations.
The year 2000 brought many changes to Mesaba. The company took delivery of its final Avro RJ, along with 11 new Saab 340 aircraft. This made Mesaba the operator of the largest fleet of Avro BAe 146/RJ aircraft (36) in the world, and the second-largest operator of Saab 340's.
After the September 11 terrorist attacks, Mesaba was forced to reduce its workforce by 20% and achieve cost savings. In the fall of 2003, Northwest announced plans to begin retirement of the Avro jet fleet, beginning with five aircraft. The Avro jets, which comprise of about half of Mesaba's revenue, were according to Northwest inefficient and aging. However, Mesaba was able to negotiate a deal with Northwest allowing the Avro fleet to remain in service for the near future. In 2005, it was announced that Mesaba would receive 15 new Canadair Regional Jets that would eventually replace the Avro jets. Two examples were delivered in early September.
and the Avro RJ-85
regional jet
) while maintaining excellent operating performance Mesaba Airlines was presented with the Air Transport World "Regional Airline of the Year for 1997" award. Saab
painted two new Saab 340
aircraft in special commemorative liveries celebrating both the award and Mesaba's 25th anniversary of scheduled airline service.
On August 31, 2005 Mesaba Airlines was named the winner of the 2005 Operational Excellence Award by AIG Aviation, a U.S. based underwriter of aviation insurance. The award has been presented only four times since its creation in 1998 and recognizes clients that exhibit a strong commitment to building quality safety and loss prevention programs. Mesaba was the unanimous selection out of an entry pool of more than 650 companies.
filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. Subsequently, the airline withheld over $25 million in payments from their regional partners Mesaba and Pinnacle. Northwest proceeded to announce plans to ground the entire Avro fleet by Q1 2007, 10 Saab 340B aircraft by 24 January 2006, and to halt the delivery of the 13 remaining Canadair Regional Jets, leaving Mesaba with an awkward and expensive fleet of two aircraft. Facing rising fuel costs, downsizing plans, and lack of income from Northwest, Mesaba Aviation filed for Chapter 11 on 13 October 2005.
In an interview in January 2006, Mesaba President John Spanjers announced that the Mesaba fleet would be cut in half by the end of the year. Twelve Avro jets had already been removed from the fleet, and the balance would be grounded by the end of the year. 10 Saab 340
"B" model aircraft were returned to Pinnacle Airlines (from whom they were leased) during January 2006 while the 3 remaining "A" model Saab 340's and the two Canadair Regional Jets that had been delivered to Mesaba prior to bankruptcy will leave the fleet before mid-year. These changes left Mesaba with a fleet of 49 Saab 340 turboprops.
As of January 2006, the company employed 3,707 people.
On 14 April 2006 the company announced reductions of the RJ85 fleet, at Northwest Airlines' direction. RJ-85's ceased flying out of Memphis on June 8, and on October 31 the last RJ85 disappeared from Minneapolis/St. Paul. The last RJ85 aircraft was retired in Detroit on December 4, 2006.
Separately it was announced that one of the two 50-seat Canadair Regional Jets operated by Mesaba would be taken by Northwest to start the flying operations (expected in late 2006) of newly formed Northwest Airlines subsidiary Compass Airlines
.
By the end of October 2006, all three of the major unions representing the pilot
s, flight attendant
s, and mechanic
s reached tentative agreements that still must be approved by the membership. On November 27, 2006, the three unions announced that their membership had ratified the new agreements.
In December 2006, Northwest Airlines said it may purchase Mesaba Airlines from current owner MAIR Holdings
and operate it as a wholly owned subsidiary. Tentative agreement to the sale were made; however, the merger could not have been approved without going through bankruptcy board proceedings and approvals of regulators and various interest groups.
On April 24, 2007, Mesaba Airlines emerged from bankruptcy protection and was officially acquired by Northwest Airlines.
Mesaba began flying five CRJ-900's for Delta Connection February 12, 2009 with destinations Las Vegas, San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Dallas/Ft Worth, Minneapolis/St.Paul and Phoenix among others.
On March 2, 2009, Mesaba began flights to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Tri-Cities Regional Airport, Tennessee, on Saab 340B+ aircraft based in Atlanta.
On April 1, 2009, Mesaba Airlines began operating non-stop service from Tallahassee to Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale using its Saab 340B+ aircraft.
When the ExpressJet flight was diverted to Rochester due to bad weather in Minneapolis, Mesaba personnel in the Rochester terminal agreed in advance to help deplane the passengers. However, when the plane landed, Mesaba personnel reneged, stating that there were no Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel in the terminal. The DOT stated that the rules for such circumstances allow passengers to be deplaned and kept in a secure area, even when there are no TSA personnel available. The DOT ruled that the actions by Mesaba personnel constituted an "unfair and deceptive practice" because they had agreed to deplane the passengers. Continental and ExpressJet were fined because they did not follow their own internal procedures and passenger commitments, and were ultimately responsible for the passengers' welfare.
Since the incident, the ramp personnel in Rochester along with other ground stations handled by Mesaba, Comair, and Compass, have since been merged and renamed Regional Elite Airline Services. REAS, as it is called, operates as a standalone company and provides ground services to Delta, Delta Connection, United Express, and Continental Express aircraft at outstations and the main hubs.
announced that Mesaba had been sold to Memphis, TN-based Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
for $62 million. The same day, Pinnacle Airlines Corp. said in a press release that they intend to make Mesaba Airlines an all-turboprop fleet, whereas Pinnacle Airlines
will remain an all-regional jet fleet. Pinnacle's other subsidiary, Colgan Air
, will be retired, and Mesaba is expected to inherit their fleet of SAAB 340
s and Bombardier Q400s. Mesaba Airlines announced that its headquarters in Eagan, MN will close on December 26, 2011; Pinnacle announced that it will keep the Mesaba corporate name but the headquarters will be located in Memphis, TN.
In 2011, Mesaba Airlines began operating flights out of New York
's LaGuardia Airport
for US Airways
under the US Airways Express
brand, the service utilizes Saab 340
aircraft and replace the current service being operated by Colgan Air
.
and turbofan
powered regional airliner
s from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
, Memphis International Airport
, John F. Kennedy International Airport
, Salt Lake City International Airport
, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
on regional flights primarily to small-to-medium sized cities.
Mesaba began operating as US Airways Express
in March 2011, replacing Colgan Air
, with 7 SAAB 340
aircraft to 8 destinations from New York LaGuardia Airport
:
The destinations are Charlottesville, VA; Manchester, NH; Ithaca, NY; Syracuse, NY; Providence, RI; and Washington, DC (Dulles) as well as Martha's Vineyard, MA; and Nantucket, MA (Seasonally)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
regional airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Eagan, Minnesota
Eagan, Minnesota
Eagan is a city south of Saint Paul in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River. Eagan and nearby suburbs form the southern portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the fifteenth largest...
. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation. Its flights are operated under the name Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
for Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and US Airways Express
US Airways Express
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
for US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
.
History
Mesaba (from the Ojibwe languageOjibwe language
Ojibwe , also called Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of the Algonquian language family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems...
, misaabe: "Soaring Eagle") was founded in 1944 by Gordy Newstrom in the Mesabi Range
Mesabi Range
The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. Discovered in 1866, it is the chief deposit of iron ore in the United States. The deposit is located in northeast Minnesota, largely in...
city of Coleraine, Minnesota
Coleraine, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,110 people, 443 households, and 317 families residing in the city. The population density was 178.5 people per square mile . There were 462 housing units at an average density of 74.3 per square mile...
and started operations in the same year under the name of Mesaba Aviation. It had one airplane, a Piper Cub purchased for $1,300, and it was used to shuttle employees of the Blandin Paper Mill Company from Grand Rapids, Minnesota
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,764 people, 3,446 households, and 1,943 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,057.8 people per square mile . There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 493.3 per square mile...
to Minneapolis. In 1950 Newstrom moved the company to Grand Rapids.
In 1970, the Halverson family of Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
bought Mesaba from Newstrom. On 4 February 1973, they started regularly scheduled airline services serving rural Minnesota communities.
The Swenson family of Thief River Falls, Minnesota
Thief River Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,410 people, 3,619 households, and 2,091 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,760.0 people per square mile . There were 3,931 housing units at an average density of 822.7 per square mile...
purchased Mesaba Aviation in 1977. They took the company public in 1982 as the airline began flying to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, using a fleet of Beech 99s
Beechcraft Model 99
|-See also:-External links:*...
.
In 1983, Mesaba became a codeshare partner of Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines (1979-1986)
Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, flying turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
aircraft from small regional communities to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
. In 1986, after the merger of Republic Airlines and Northwest Orient Airlines, Mesaba transitioned their codeshare partnership, and began operations as a Northwest Airlink
Northwest Airlink
Northwest Airlink was the trade name of Northwest Airlines' regional airline service, which flew turboprop and regional jet aircraft from Northwest's domestic hubs in Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis...
carrier.
Mesaba began feeder service from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
to small airports across the east and midwest using Fokker F27
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
and Fairchild Metro aircraft in 1988. Maintenance bases were established both in Detroit and Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people...
.
In 1991, Mesaba began adding the first of 25 De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft (leased from Northwest Airlines) to begin replacing the Fokker F-27's.
In 1995, Mesaba and Northwest reached an agreement to provide service with Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
turboprop aircraft. By 1996, Mesaba's fleet consisted of 55 aircraft, with projections of 2006 predicting a fleet of 114 aircraft. The company employed 1,540 employees.
At one time Mesaba had its headquarters on the grounds of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in Fort Snelling
Fort Snelling, Minnesota
Fort Snelling, originally known as Fort Saint Anthony, was a military fortification located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and Mississippi River in Hennepin County, Minnesota...
, unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. As of 2010 the population was 1,152,425. Its county seat is Minneapolis. It is by far the most populous county in Minnesota; more than one in five Minnesotans live...
.
Growth into regional jet operations
Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline, which is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., and operates as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines...
, until 1997, when Mesaba began jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
service using the Avro RJ-85
BAe 146
The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
, the first regional jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...
to be flown by either Airlink airline. Mesaba was split off at this time into Airways Corporation to address objections from Northwest over their operation of a jet fleet. Mesaba also became the first regional airline to have a first class seating option. Eventually, as Pinnacle transitioned to an all Canadair Regional Jet fleet, Mesaba took over all Northwest Airlink
Northwest Airlink
Northwest Airlink was the trade name of Northwest Airlines' regional airline service, which flew turboprop and regional jet aircraft from Northwest's domestic hubs in Minneapolis, Detroit, and Memphis...
Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
operations.
The year 2000 brought many changes to Mesaba. The company took delivery of its final Avro RJ, along with 11 new Saab 340 aircraft. This made Mesaba the operator of the largest fleet of Avro BAe 146/RJ aircraft (36) in the world, and the second-largest operator of Saab 340's.
After the September 11 terrorist attacks, Mesaba was forced to reduce its workforce by 20% and achieve cost savings. In the fall of 2003, Northwest announced plans to begin retirement of the Avro jet fleet, beginning with five aircraft. The Avro jets, which comprise of about half of Mesaba's revenue, were according to Northwest inefficient and aging. However, Mesaba was able to negotiate a deal with Northwest allowing the Avro fleet to remain in service for the near future. In 2005, it was announced that Mesaba would receive 15 new Canadair Regional Jets that would eventually replace the Avro jets. Two examples were delivered in early September.
Awards
In early 1998, in recognition of the successful introduction of two new airliner types to the fleet (the Saab 340Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
and the Avro RJ-85
BAe 146
The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
regional jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...
) while maintaining excellent operating performance Mesaba Airlines was presented with the Air Transport World "Regional Airline of the Year for 1997" award. Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
painted two new Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
aircraft in special commemorative liveries celebrating both the award and Mesaba's 25th anniversary of scheduled airline service.
On August 31, 2005 Mesaba Airlines was named the winner of the 2005 Operational Excellence Award by AIG Aviation, a U.S. based underwriter of aviation insurance. The award has been presented only four times since its creation in 1998 and recognizes clients that exhibit a strong commitment to building quality safety and loss prevention programs. Mesaba was the unanimous selection out of an entry pool of more than 650 companies.
Bankruptcy Filing
On 14 September 2005, Northwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. Subsequently, the airline withheld over $25 million in payments from their regional partners Mesaba and Pinnacle. Northwest proceeded to announce plans to ground the entire Avro fleet by Q1 2007, 10 Saab 340B aircraft by 24 January 2006, and to halt the delivery of the 13 remaining Canadair Regional Jets, leaving Mesaba with an awkward and expensive fleet of two aircraft. Facing rising fuel costs, downsizing plans, and lack of income from Northwest, Mesaba Aviation filed for Chapter 11 on 13 October 2005.
In an interview in January 2006, Mesaba President John Spanjers announced that the Mesaba fleet would be cut in half by the end of the year. Twelve Avro jets had already been removed from the fleet, and the balance would be grounded by the end of the year. 10 Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
"B" model aircraft were returned to Pinnacle Airlines (from whom they were leased) during January 2006 while the 3 remaining "A" model Saab 340's and the two Canadair Regional Jets that had been delivered to Mesaba prior to bankruptcy will leave the fleet before mid-year. These changes left Mesaba with a fleet of 49 Saab 340 turboprops.
As of January 2006, the company employed 3,707 people.
On 14 April 2006 the company announced reductions of the RJ85 fleet, at Northwest Airlines' direction. RJ-85's ceased flying out of Memphis on June 8, and on October 31 the last RJ85 disappeared from Minneapolis/St. Paul. The last RJ85 aircraft was retired in Detroit on December 4, 2006.
Separately it was announced that one of the two 50-seat Canadair Regional Jets operated by Mesaba would be taken by Northwest to start the flying operations (expected in late 2006) of newly formed Northwest Airlines subsidiary Compass Airlines
Compass Airlines (North America)
Compass Airlines is a regional airline headquartered at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Fort Snelling, Hennepin County, Minnesota; prior to December 16, 2009, it was headquartered in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, east of the Chantilly CDP...
.
By the end of October 2006, all three of the major unions representing the pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
s, flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
s, and mechanic
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
s reached tentative agreements that still must be approved by the membership. On November 27, 2006, the three unions announced that their membership had ratified the new agreements.
In December 2006, Northwest Airlines said it may purchase Mesaba Airlines from current owner MAIR Holdings
MAIR Holdings
MAIR Holdings, Inc. was an airline holding company. Later in its life its headquarters were in Fifth Street Towers II in Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. At an earlier time its headquarters were on the property of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in Fort Snelling, an unincorporated...
and operate it as a wholly owned subsidiary. Tentative agreement to the sale were made; however, the merger could not have been approved without going through bankruptcy board proceedings and approvals of regulators and various interest groups.
On April 24, 2007, Mesaba Airlines emerged from bankruptcy protection and was officially acquired by Northwest Airlines.
Delta-Northwest Merger
With the merging of Northwest Airlines into Delta, Mesaba as part of the overall merger and a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines Inc., will be undergoing numerous changes. One of which will be the relocation of a portion of the Saab 340 fleet to Atlanta. Delta has also allocated to Mesaba five more CRJ-900s to be operated out of Salt Lake City.Mesaba began flying five CRJ-900's for Delta Connection February 12, 2009 with destinations Las Vegas, San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Dallas/Ft Worth, Minneapolis/St.Paul and Phoenix among others.
On March 2, 2009, Mesaba began flights to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Tri-Cities Regional Airport, Tennessee, on Saab 340B+ aircraft based in Atlanta.
On April 1, 2009, Mesaba Airlines began operating non-stop service from Tallahassee to Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale using its Saab 340B+ aircraft.
Fined for not deplaning passengers
On November 24, 2009, Mesaba was one of three airlines, including Continental and ExpressJet, fined by the US Department of Transportation for delaying passengers from deplaning for over 6 hours overnight in Rochester, MN on August 8, 2009. Mesaba's civil penalty was $75,000, 50% more than the fine for Continental and ExpressJet. It was the first fine ever from the DOT for misconduct related to passengers' being held in planes on the tarmac for an extended time.When the ExpressJet flight was diverted to Rochester due to bad weather in Minneapolis, Mesaba personnel in the Rochester terminal agreed in advance to help deplane the passengers. However, when the plane landed, Mesaba personnel reneged, stating that there were no Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel in the terminal. The DOT stated that the rules for such circumstances allow passengers to be deplaned and kept in a secure area, even when there are no TSA personnel available. The DOT ruled that the actions by Mesaba personnel constituted an "unfair and deceptive practice" because they had agreed to deplane the passengers. Continental and ExpressJet were fined because they did not follow their own internal procedures and passenger commitments, and were ultimately responsible for the passengers' welfare.
Since the incident, the ramp personnel in Rochester along with other ground stations handled by Mesaba, Comair, and Compass, have since been merged and renamed Regional Elite Airline Services. REAS, as it is called, operates as a standalone company and provides ground services to Delta, Delta Connection, United Express, and Continental Express aircraft at outstations and the main hubs.
Sale to Pinnacle
On July 1, 2010, Delta Air LinesDelta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
announced that Mesaba had been sold to Memphis, TN-based Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. is an American holding company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, which is the parent company of three airlines: Pinnacle Airlines, Mesaba Airlines and Colgan Air...
for $62 million. The same day, Pinnacle Airlines Corp. said in a press release that they intend to make Mesaba Airlines an all-turboprop fleet, whereas Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline, which is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., and operates as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines...
will remain an all-regional jet fleet. Pinnacle's other subsidiary, Colgan Air
Colgan Air
Colgan Air, Inc. is an American certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located in Memphis, Tennessee....
, will be retired, and Mesaba is expected to inherit their fleet of SAAB 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
s and Bombardier Q400s. Mesaba Airlines announced that its headquarters in Eagan, MN will close on December 26, 2011; Pinnacle announced that it will keep the Mesaba corporate name but the headquarters will be located in Memphis, TN.
In 2011, Mesaba Airlines began operating flights out of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
for US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
under the US Airways Express
US Airways Express
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
brand, the service utilizes Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
aircraft and replace the current service being operated by Colgan Air
Colgan Air
Colgan Air, Inc. is an American certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located in Memphis, Tennessee....
.
Destinations
Mesaba operates a fleet of turbopropTurboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
and turbofan
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
powered regional airliner
Regional airliner
A regional airliner or a feederliner is a small airliner designed to fly up to 100 passengers on short-haul flights, usually feeding larger carriers' hubs from small markets. This class of airliners are typically flown by the regional airlines that are either contracted by or subsidiaries of the...
s from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
, Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
, John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
, Salt Lake City International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
on regional flights primarily to small-to-medium sized cities.
Mesaba began operating as US Airways Express
US Airways Express
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
in March 2011, replacing Colgan Air
Colgan Air
Colgan Air, Inc. is an American certificated regional airline subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The headquarters of Colgan Air are located in Memphis, Tennessee....
, with 7 SAAB 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
aircraft to 8 destinations from New York LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
:
The destinations are Charlottesville, VA; Manchester, NH; Ithaca, NY; Syracuse, NY; Providence, RI; and Washington, DC (Dulles) as well as Martha's Vineyard, MA; and Nantucket, MA (Seasonally)
Fleet
The Mesaba Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of September 7, 2011) :| Aircraft | Total | Options | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Y | Total | ||||
| Bombardier CRJ-200ER/LR Bombardier CRJ200 The Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 are a family of regional airliner manufactured by Bombardier, and based on the Canadair Challenger business jet.-Development:... |
19 | — | 0 | 50 | 50 | |
| Bombardier CRJ-900ER Bombardier CRJ700 The Bombardier CRJ700, CRJ900, and CRJ1000 are regional airliners based on the Bombardier CRJ200. Final assembly of the aircraft is at Montréal-Mirabel International Airport in Mirabel, Quebec, outside Montreal, Canada.-Development:... |
41 | 29 | 12 | 64 | 76 | launch operator and largest operator for CRJ-900 |
| Saab 340B+ Saab 340 The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio... |
15 7 |
— | 0 0 |
34 34 |
34 34 |
Operated as Delta Connection, being phased out by December 23, 2011 Operated as US Airways Express |
Retired
| Aircraft | Year Retired | Replacement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avro RJ-85 | 2006 | Bombardier CRJ-900 | Majority transferred to Cityjet Cityjet CityJet Limited is an Irish regional airline headquartered in the Swords Business Campus in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland. It operates at London City Airport, and flies franchise services on behalf of its parent company Air France from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Since the take over of VLM... (Dublin, Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... ) |
| Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States.... |
1997 | Saab 340 | Converted to freighters, or in the Bahamas |
| De Havilland Canada Dash 8 | 1998 | Saab 340 | Sold to Piedmont |
| Fokker F27 Fokker F27 The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner... |
Dash 8 | Scrapped | |
| Beechcraft Model 99 Beechcraft Model 99 |-See also:-External links:*... |
Metroliner | ||
| Saab 340 Saab 340 The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio... A |
2006 | Saab 340B+ |