Mesaba Airlines Poised for Massive Growth

[USCtrojan]

The company is taking some unusual steps to make it to that point. We do have two years to hit our mark. I believe we will make it too. With the numbers we've been putting up at the busiest airport in the world and the costs getting into line, I believe this company is well positioned for future possibilities.

Couldn't agree more and I don't think the timing is a coincidence either. But tell that to some of the doom and gloomers on the ALPA board. It appears a lot of folks, who know extremely little about the Market and Industry, want to dictate what happens and when. When it doesn't happen, in their own timeline, we're going out of business!

Trojan

 

[General Lee]

LAX is definite. That is where the growth will be in the near future.

SLC may be switched to a "focus city" and downsized. They will reallocate resources to the cities that will support international growth and LAX is that place.

Incorrect. SLC will get A330s to do Tokyo Narita nonstop, along with A330s to do Paris (to replace our 767ER that will go to SEA and do Asia stuff), and AMS as well. The SLC MD90s will move to MSP since that plane cannot hit the East Coast nonstop from SLC (but can to both coasts from MSP), and A320s and A319s will replace them so they can fullfill that mission. There will still be a domestic 757/767 base at SLC, along with a 737NG base too. LAX will be stagnate for 2 more years, with some small growth INTL'y (good-aye mate), but mainly moving NWA equipment over to terminal 5 from their terminal at LAX.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[xjhawk]

The word I got from a management type, not a perfect quote, but something like this. "We are going to be one big regional" Think of whats happening at Mesaba when compared to the rest of the regionals. We are planning on hiring hundreds of pilots. Every department is hiring and NWA has a ton of options from Bombardier. I do know that the management types are ready for growth, but even they are saying its not certain. I think there is talk of growth, they are just waiting to see how much. ATL is certain, jsut how big is not known. More growth in crj900 to cover the loss of the DC 9's moving to ATL to compete with Airtran? Will they use the 900 to compete with the southwest threat in MSP? WHo knows, as I have said before, good luck to us all, dont take your frustrations out on fellow pilots, start asking your ALPA national to fight the good fight. What is that you ask? If not one seniority list, how about a good block or better type system for contracts. If you are flying for a delta connection, you have one negotiated (something good) contract for all the connections. If someone trys to under bid, it will not be for pilot costs.

Oh by the way if you look at mesaba's rates, they do not look good, but they will be getting better with our snap back provision. Not to mention the cost of living increases at the end of our contract if they play the pinnacle game. And our work rules are better than most from what I hear. min day, block or better, and we do not lose money if a trip cancels.

OK someone explain this one to me, I tend to be a little slow at times. How can ATL grow grow grow while ASA shrinks? What's with the 80% deal? When does Skywest start taking Delta to task over not abiding by the contract?

It's no surprise to me that Delta plans to give Mesaba some more planes, but the way you guys are talking, they'll be the monster Delta regional carrier while the others wither away. I don't buy it!

To all you Mesaba guys, enjoy your seemingly good fortune while it lasts, and I'd be real careful about gloating. Delta likes to change things up a lot. Good news today could be taken away tomorrow.

 

[McNugent]

The word I got from a management type, not a perfect quote, but something like this. "We are going to be one big regional"

Your "source" may be referring to the combination of Meslaba, Compass, and maybe Comair. But I don't think Delta is going to completely abandon contract lift. There are contractual obligations that will cost Delta a lot of money and real estate to break, and those contracts are good for a pretty long time. As long as ASA/SKYW keeps up it's end of the deal. I don't know anything about RAH's contract...

Also if you would ask your "source" to explain this very recent article, that would be greeeeat. Doesn't sound like you will end up being one big regional to me. I'm starting to think your "source" is your own wishful thinking.

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/stories/2008/10/21/delta_regional_airlines.html

Obviously Delta wants to consolidate some of it's lift, it makes sense. There have been too many DL regionals for a while. But only having one super regional makes no sense. Who would they pit them against? That pilot group would have Delta by the balls, and that's not good for business.

 

[machaf]

Keep drinking the kool aid. Its GGRRRRREAT

 

[xjlifer]

Man it sucks when someone else describes MY life!

Good post though and spot on.

We could argue many reasons for "lifetime regional pilots" as you describe them. Post 911 economy, ALPA sucks, the price of oil, labor being bent over the barrel by loose bankruptcy laws, ALAPA sucks, the war on terror, I think you get the picture. The fact remains that while pilots aged during these very turbulent times of furloughs and bankruptcies, children grew up, college tuition isn't cheap, houses where bought and sold and bought again, pilots tried there best to make due with what little they had, now they are approaching their 50's looking at projected seniority and their current household budgets and realize that starting over at a legacy carrier is simply financially unfeasable. So they find themselves stuck, the bottom line is the rules have changed. Playing this game some where lucky and could move on others not so lucky. Sadly, this is the current state of affairs and there is no turning back.

 

[79%N1]

But back to that article in the AJC.

What is the "Bad Lift" they are referring to? Just Mesa/Freedom??? They originally were going to terminate Pinnacle for performance, but since retracted that. So, who else is there? The Freedom is old news and is being challenged in court. I don't think it is RAH, they are at the top of performance, although I can't speak for the cost of that operation. I'm sure they don't consider Skywest 'bad lift'. This leaves Comair and ASA. Comair is a Wholly Owned subsidiary of Delta, so if they are referring to Comair, they do have some control over that product. So. who is the lift provider that Delta is looking to axe from the portfolio?

 

[Raskal]

But back to that article in the AJC.

What is the "Bad Lift" they are referring to? Just Mesa/Freedom???... I'm sure they don't consider Skywest 'bad lift'...

Just out of curiosity, I mean nothing negative by this, why is Skywest "surely" not bad lift? Is it just that their pilots seem outspoken on FI.com or what?

 

[79%N1]

No. They are usually at the top of the daily performance in on-time and completion. For that reason, I would not consider them 'bad lift', or assume they are in Delta's eyes. In fact, I believe Delta considers them one of the better performing lift providers. Not too mention their costs are lower too.

 

[McNugent]

But why would you consider ASA to be bad lift? Outside of JFK, ATL is the most prone to delays and other issues. If a great majority of our flights weren't out of ATL then we'd be way better on the performance list, which we usually do pretty well on as is.