PHOENIX, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mesa Air Group, Inc.
(Nasdaq: MESA) today announced the arrival of the sixth of 14 seventy six seat
Bombardier CRJ-900 Next Generation aircraft operated for Delta Connection by
its wholly owned subsidiary, Freedom Airlines. The operation of these new
aircraft was first announced in March 2007 and at that time represented an
expansion of the agreement that was already in place between Mesa Air Group
and Delta Air Lines.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990210/LAW065)
"We are delighted to continue to grow our CRJ-900 fleet within the Delta
Connection program," said Freedom Airlines Chief Operating Officer, Joe
Serratelli. "Mesa Air Group remains the only regional carrier to operate this
type of aircraft for two major airline partners. We believe our industry
leading low costs and commitment to service are well suited for today's
difficult operating environment."
The aircraft which operate in the New York, JFK and Dallas, Fort Worth
markets are configured with 12 First Class and 64 Coach Class seats. The
first aircraft entered revenue service on November 1, 2007 and the remaining
8 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered over the next 12 months.
"While it is disappointing that Delta and Mesa are involved in litigation
regarding Delta's previously announced decision to terminate Freedom's Embraer
ERJ-145 flying, the delivery of this CRJ-900 underscores the positive
relationship we wish to have with Delta," said Mesa Air Group Chairman and
CEO, Jonathan Ornstein.
The CRJ-900 NextGen aircraft has an enhanced interior including energy
efficient LED lighting, larger cabin windows, redesigned ceiling and sidewall
panels, and larger overhead luggage bins.
Mesa currently operates 182 aircraft with over 1,000 daily system
departures to 157 cities, 42 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, the
Bahamas and Mexico. Mesa operates as Delta Connection, US Airways Express and
United Express under contractual agreements with Delta Air Lines, US Airways
and United Airlines, respectively, and independently as Mesa Airlines and go!.
In June 2006 Mesa launched inter-island Hawaiian service as go! This operation
links Honolulu to the neighbor island airports of Hilo, Kahului, Kona and
Lihue. The Company, founded by Larry and Janie Risley in New Mexico in 1982,
has approximately 5,000 employees and was awarded Regional Airline of the Year
by Air Transport World magazine in 1992 and 2005. Mesa is a member of the
Regional Airline Association and Regional Aviation Partners.
This press release contains various forward-looking statements that are
based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by and information
currently available to management. Although the Company believes that the
expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable; it
can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct.
Such statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions.
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially
from those anticipated, estimated, projected or expected.
Web site: http://www.mesa-air.com
SOURCE Mesa Air Group, Inc.
Paul Skellon, VP Corporate Communications of Mesa Air Group, Inc.,
+1-602-685-4162, paul.skellon@mesa-air.com
