ATW Daily News

United cuts 50-seat Mesa CRJs

Tuesday November 10, 2009

United Airlines ended its agreement with Mesa Air Group for operation of 26 50-seat CRJs on its behalf, with the aircraft to be phased out by April 30.

The move follows UA's decision last week to terminate the agreement under which Mesa operates 10 Dash 8s as United Express (ATWOnline, Nov. 3). Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein told ATWOnline that MAG will continue to operate 20 CRJ700s for UA, primarily out of Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles, and that the agreement could be extended to include an additional 10 CRJ700s.

He noted that the CRJ100/200 termination could be a sign of things to come in light of rising fuel prices. "In the current economic environment, to a large degree they [50-seat RJs] are not economically feasible," he said.

Mesa currently operates 136 aircraft with approximately 800 daily departures. In addition to United it flies for US Airways and Delta Air Lines and independently as Mesa Airlines and go! in Hawaii.

by Sandra Arnoult

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