Mesaba cancels some flights as it readies for strike
Liz Fedor, Star Tribune
Published January 10, 2004 STRK10
With the threat of a pilots strike looming at 11:01 p.m., Mesaba Airlines announced today that it has cancelled a small number of flights for tonight.
Eagan-based Mesaba flies about 600 flights a day as a regional carrier for Northwest Airlines. Mesaba's 844 pilots might walk off the job tonight. They have been in talks with management for two-and-a-half years, but the parties have been unable to reach an agreement over compensation, job security, retirement and work rules.
If a strike unfolds tonight, Mesaba does not want its aircraft scattered across the United States and Canada. So it is cancelling some flights to allow it to aid the process of returning its planes to its hubs in the Twin Cities, Detroit and Memphis.
Mesaba passengers scheduled to fly on Northwest Airlink flights 2700 to 3699 after 4 p.m. today are asked to call Northwest Airlines at 1-800-225-2525 to check on the status of their flights.
Several days ago, Northwest Airlines put a rebooking policy in place that allowed Mesaba customers to rebook their trips on flights flown by Northwest and Pinnacle Airlines, a Memphis-based regional carrier.
Mesaba spokesman Dave Jackson said Friday that the flights are being cancelled as a precaution.
"We are continuing our negotiations with our pilots' union and remain committed to the goals of reaching agreement on a new contract and continuing operations," Jackson said in a statement shortly before noon today.
The Mesaba unit of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) notified its members at noon today that Thursday's negotiations stretched until 2:30 a.m. today. Negotiators returned to the bargaining table at 8:30 a.m.
The union and management are continuing to trade proposals. The pilot union's 12-member executive council met with the Mesaba ALPA negotiators mid-morning today to discuss various proposals.
"We remain hopeful that negotiations will continue to progress toward a successful contract conclusion without a strike," the union said in a hotline message.
Liz Fedor, Star Tribune
Published January 10, 2004 STRK10
With the threat of a pilots strike looming at 11:01 p.m., Mesaba Airlines announced today that it has cancelled a small number of flights for tonight.
Eagan-based Mesaba flies about 600 flights a day as a regional carrier for Northwest Airlines. Mesaba's 844 pilots might walk off the job tonight. They have been in talks with management for two-and-a-half years, but the parties have been unable to reach an agreement over compensation, job security, retirement and work rules.
If a strike unfolds tonight, Mesaba does not want its aircraft scattered across the United States and Canada. So it is cancelling some flights to allow it to aid the process of returning its planes to its hubs in the Twin Cities, Detroit and Memphis.
Mesaba passengers scheduled to fly on Northwest Airlink flights 2700 to 3699 after 4 p.m. today are asked to call Northwest Airlines at 1-800-225-2525 to check on the status of their flights.
Several days ago, Northwest Airlines put a rebooking policy in place that allowed Mesaba customers to rebook their trips on flights flown by Northwest and Pinnacle Airlines, a Memphis-based regional carrier.
Mesaba spokesman Dave Jackson said Friday that the flights are being cancelled as a precaution.
"We are continuing our negotiations with our pilots' union and remain committed to the goals of reaching agreement on a new contract and continuing operations," Jackson said in a statement shortly before noon today.
The Mesaba unit of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) notified its members at noon today that Thursday's negotiations stretched until 2:30 a.m. today. Negotiators returned to the bargaining table at 8:30 a.m.
The union and management are continuing to trade proposals. The pilot union's 12-member executive council met with the Mesaba ALPA negotiators mid-morning today to discuss various proposals.
"We remain hopeful that negotiations will continue to progress toward a successful contract conclusion without a strike," the union said in a hotline message.
