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Mesaba Airlines

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{{Infobox_Airline | airline=Mesaba Airlines| logo=xjlogo.gif| logo_size=300px| IATA=XJ| ICAO=MES| callsign=Mesaba| parent=Mesaba Aviation, Inc.-MAIR Holdings| founded=1944| headquarters=Eagan, Minnesota Eagan, Minnesota| key_people=John Spanjers (President/COO)| hubs=Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Minneapolis-St. Paul Int'l Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Detroit Metro. Wayne Cty. Airport
Memphis International Airport| focus_cities=| frequent_flyer=WorldPerks| lounge=WorldClubs| alliance=SkyTeam| fleet_size=74| destinations=| website= http://www.mesaba.com| }} '''Mesaba Airlines''' {{Airline codes|XJ|MES|Mesaba}} is an United States American regional airline based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The airline operates under '''Mesaba Aviation''', Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of MAIR Holdings. All of its flights are operated under the name Northwest Airlink for Northwest Airlines. Mesaba is currently operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

History
Mesaba was founded in 1944 by Gordy Newstrom in Coleraine, Minn. Mesaba had one airplane, a Piper Cub purchased for $1,300, and it was used to shuttle employees of the Blandin Paper Company from Grand Rapids, Minnesota to Minneapolis. In 1950 Newstrom moved the company to Grand Rapids, Minnesota. In 1970, the Halverson family of Duluth, Minnesota buys Mesaba from Newstrom. In 1973 they start regularly scheduled airline services. The Swenson family of Thief River Falls, Minnesota bought Mesaba in 1980. They take the company public in 1982. The airline begins 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 1984, after the merger of Republic Airlines and Northwest Airlines, Mesaba transitioned their codeshare partnership, and began operations as the first 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. 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 BAe 146 Avro RJ-85, the first regional jet to be flown by either Airlink airline. 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 have the exclusive rights to the next 15 Canadair Regional Jets delivered to Airlink, eventually destined to 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 340 and the BAe 146 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.

Chapter 11 filing
On 14 September 2005, Northwest Airlines filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. Subsequently, the airline witheld 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 2006, 10 Saab 340 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 have already been removed from the fleet, and the balance will 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.

Destinations
Mesaba operates a fleet of regional jet and turboprop aircraft from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and Memphis International Airport on short flights primarily to small-to-medium sized cities and towns.

Fleet
*23 BAe 146 Avro RJ-85 69 Passenger Regional Jets 16F/53Y - all to be removed from service by December 31st 2006 *49 Saab 340 30-34 Passenger Turboprops 30Y to 34Y *2 Bombardier Canadair CRJ-200 50 Passenger Regional Jets 50Y - to be removed from service by Q2 2006 The average Mesaba Airlines fleet age is 6.9 years old in March 2006. Previously, Mesaba has operated the Fairchild Metro, De Havilland Canada Dash 8, Fokker F27, and Beechcraft Model 99.

External links

- Mesaba Airlines Official Website
- Mesaba Airlines Fleet Age
- Unofficial Bankruptcy Information

Sources

- Mesaba Bankruptcy News Category:Airlines of the United States Category:Companies based in Minnesota fr:Mesaba Airlines

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