Intruder, the order was put back to CRJ-700's series for MESA to fly. Mesa cannot operate the CRJ900 series due to scope clause restrictions. The weight issue not only affected the wholly owned, but also Mesa.
Copyed from a Press Release on Thursday.
“Mainline management underestimates the operational and cost efficiencies of using its integrated resources, including employees intimately familiar with the US Airways operation through years of exposure to it,” Holm added. “We fail to see this as a meaningful step toward successful economic recovery. According to Mr. Bruce Ashby, president of US Airways Express operations, Mesa airlines is already behind on current obligations to US Airways, and recently also made additional commitments to United Airlines. The result could be an inferior product for our customers,” he said.
US Airways said today that it has notified Bombardier Aerospace that it will not be taking delivery of the 25 CRJ-705 regional jet aircraft ordered in May, and instead, will contract with Mesa Airlines to fly at least 25 CRJ 700 aircraft, and perhaps as many as 55 70-seat regional jets under the US Airways Express name.
Here's the kicker Intruder and this is a plus for ALG and PDT. In their J4J language, it states that any aircraft that is financed by Airways, must be flown at a wholly owned. How they can give this to Mesa, is an interesting thought one that Alg and Pdt are in the process of filing a grevience. Even Ashby stated that Mesa would not finance this jet. However, even if Alg and PDt win this grevience, that language states that it must be flown by a wholly owned company. There's nothing saying that they give the 700's back to PSA and still do away with Alg and Pdt. A risk, but one that I would be willing to take if I was on thier MEC. One that they are going to take.
If that happens and they decide to place these jets here. We are back to the concerns stated in my previous post's. Would they go to ALG or PDT? Maybe, and I hope, but they would have more concerns then ours especially without any firms orders for 50 seaters. If they do go to Alg and PDT, I would caution our brothers and sisters about this. Your MEC is very aware of these problems.
Mesa only signed a letter of intent to fly these Jets under U colors. Mesa would have signed the deal that day if they could but managment at U refused. Why? Scare tactics and stalling technique. Unless all else fails between ALPA, U managment and the mainline to MEC, then Mesa will probably sign the deal. First airplane is not supposed to arrive untill 2004. There's alot more time for things to change.