Oh no!!! It's JO!!!

[BlueCanoe]

Dow Jones Business News
Mesa Air Would Be Interested in Buying US Airways' Assets
Tuesday January 13, 2:58 pm ET
By Elizabeth Souder


NEW YORK -- Mesa Air Group Inc. (NasdaqNM:MESA - News) Chief Executive Jonathan Ornstein said the regional airline is considering buying assets from US Airways Group Inc. (NasdaqNM:UAIR - News) .
ADVERTISEMENT


US Air confirmed last week it hired investment bank Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MWD - News) to develop scenarios to get the airline back into the black. Those include selling gates, routes, planes, aircraft delivery positions, regional jet operations, the airline's shuttle service, and assets at some hubs, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Mr. Ornstein told Dow Jones Newswires he is considering all possibilities, but wants to remain a US Air partner, rather than a competitor. Mesa currently operates regional flights on behalf of US Air.

"We certainly hope that US Airways doesn't have to sell any assets," Mr. Ornstein said. But if the airline must sell, "we would certainly be a likely candidate for opportunities."

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that US Airways, which recently emerged from bankruptcy protection, is pitching its US Airways Shuttle service, which operates hourly flights between Washington, New York and Boston, along with slots in the three cities. US Airways is also pitching its regional operations along with its aircraft and aircraft orders, and US Airways is looking for buyers for assets at hubs in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Charlotte, N.C.

Mr. Ornstein said Mesa isn't ruling out any possibilities, meaning the airline may consider buying not just the regional operations, but hub assets or the shuttle operation, which Mesa might operate as a partner, on behalf of US Airways.

"Anything we do would be in cooperation with US Airways," Mr. Ornstein said.

Mr. Ornstein said such acquisitions wouldn't force the airline to go to the markets for more capital. "Mesa is very well capitalized," he said. "I don't foresee that requirement at this point."

Other airlines, including Continental Airlines Inc. (NYSE:CAL - News) and JetBlue Airways Corp. (NasdaqNM:JBLU - News) , wouldn't comment on whether they are considering the US Airways assets.

The airline would need the agreement of the Air Transport Stabilization Board, the federal panel that provided $900 million in loan guarantees to back the carrier's $1 billion bankruptcy-exit financing, in order to sell anything, The Wall Street Journal reported.

- Elizabeth Souder, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-4148

 

[Mr Hat]

Jeez, When is this little shrimp gonna go away?

 

[enigma]

Jeez, When is this little shrimp gonna go away?

Only when he is unable to find pilots who will work for nothing, thereby losing his competitive advantage.

Don't get me wrong, I worked for Larry and didn't make much. I'm not throwing stones, I'm just stating what I consider to be a fact. Now, if flightinfo had been around back then, I might have never taken the job. BTW, I didn't PFT, that came after I left.

regards,
enigma

 

[zymotic]

Just to clarify what "nothing" is- I grossed 70K in 2003 flying a CRJ200.

 

[I.P. Freley]

Uh-oh, zymo, NOW you're gonna get it!! LOL!!

Just to paraphrase every forthcoming angry response to your post above, I'll help and sum them up in advance...

"You call THAT good pay? You're still a whore! How do you look in the mirror every morning? You're stealing my flying!!"

*whew*

That took a lot out of me.

 

[enigma]

Just to clarify what "nothing" is- I grossed 70K in 2003 flying a CRJ200.

Nothing in 1990 was 5.6cents per mile and 16000 mile lines. You can do the math, but I brought home about $365 ever two weeks. I think that that totals less than $11K a year. (FO)

The Trig boys were making about 40. Most Beech Captains were making around $24K and most Embraer Captains were making around $30K.

But we didn't buy our Dadgummed job. We may not have helped the profession, but we did have our respect.

enigma

 

[Ligeirinho]

Ok guys we cannot have the best pay among regionals but Pinacle, Colgan, Shuttle America and some others pay a lot worst and don't even pay during training so what's the deal about to get hard on us at MESA???

 

[AA717driver]

You dadgummed whippersnappers! Why, when I was a commuter FO I had to throw the bags, too! All for $800/mo.

Seriously, we're all whores. No one can complete a career without doing a little time on a street corner at one time or another...TC

 

[Heavy Set]

The nightmare is getting worse and worse for the poor USAirways guys... Get those Jetblue apps ready...

 

[bobbysamd]

Mesa as a jet operator

They (or I, anyway) don't call him Frank O. for nothing.

If this happens, I would find it to be a major irony. Enigma should be able to relate to the following because, I believe, he was working at Mesa at the time.

Larry Risley and his crew owned Mesa in 1990 when I interviewed there. At that time, regional jets were being developed. I had read about them in the magazines. Part of my interview was with Grady Reed, who was a VP of something or another. He asked if I had any questions; I asked if Mesa had planned to purchase regional jets. He said "no," and was clearly annoyed with my question. I wasn't hired, and, I'm sure, it was in part because I asked that question, which, I thought, was reasonable. We all know the rest of that story; along with props Mesa now operates both major makes of RJs!!

(Lesson learned: Do not ask questions if invited to do so at interviews.)

So, to me, anyway, it really would be a major irony if it came to pass that Mesa became an Airbus, B737, B757 and B767 operator. Let's hope it never happens, for the sake of the great people at U.