Tag Archives: MSP

US Airways to file for antitrust immunity next month for a merger with American Airlines

US Airways (Phoenix) is planning to file the necessary paperwork with the antitrust regulators for a proposed merger with AMR Corporation (Dallas/Fort Worth), the bankrupt parent of American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth), according to this report by Reuters. US Airways believes such a filing would ease antitrust concerns about a possible merger. Meanwhile American’s management is proceeding with their own Chapter 11 reorganization as a stand-alone carrier despite undying pressure from the unsecured creditors and the unions to consider a merger with US Airways.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Jay Selman.

US Airways:ย 

American:ย 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.

Pinnacle Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 diverts to Fargo

Pinnacle Airlines (Delta Connection) (Memphis) Bombardier CRJ200 diverted to Fargo yesterday. The Minneapolis/St. Paul to Grand Forks flight made an emergency landing at Fargo due to โ€œsuspicious condition in the lavatoryโ€ by a passenger who was questioned. There were no injuries and no charges resulted from the incident.

Pinnacle Flight DL 4375 operated with a Bombardier CRJ200 left MSP at 9:15 a.m. (0915) and diverted to Fargo.

Read the full report from INFORUM:

CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Pinnacle Airlines’ Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N8588D (msn 7588) approaches MSP for landing.

Delta retires the last DC-9-31/32 from scheduled service

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) has retired the last Douglas DC-9-31/32 from scheduled service. The last flight was flight DL 2106 from Detroit to Manchester, NH on September 6. A few aircraft will be retained through October as operational spares and as charter aircraft.

Previously Delta retired the type in June 1975 but inherited the type again with the merger with Northwest Airlines.

The DC-9-41s (still unpainted) and DC-9-51s (repainted) continue to operate on scheduled Delta routes.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. DC-9-31 N8929E (msn 45866) prepares to land at Minneapolis/St. Paul hub. None of the DC-9-31/32s were repainted in Delta’s colors due to the impeding retirement.

ExpressJet Airlines’ pilots now are “optimistic” for the sale to SkyWest

ExpressJet Airlines’ (Houston) pilots, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Intโ€™l (ALPA), met this week to determine their position on the proposed sale of ExpressJet Airlines to SkyWest Holdings, Inc. (St. George) and the planned subsequent merger of the airline with Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) (Atlanta), which was announced on August 4, 2010. The history of airline mergers has shown that pilot support is critical to an airlineโ€™s ability to fully realize the financial and operational gains from a merger.

After the August 4, 2010 announcement, the pilotsโ€™ union publicly stated a number of requirements that must be met for pilot support of the transaction:

– the transaction must result in a profitable airline that provides long-term stability and progressive career potential for our pilots;

– the transaction must honor the scope and successorship provisions of our collective bargaining agreement;

– management must commit to negotiating a joint collective bargaining agreement that benefits all pilots; and

– there must be a fair and equitable seniority list integration.

The union is now optimistic that the needs of the pilots will be protected.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Embraer ERJ 145XR (EMB-145XR) N13124 (msn 145689) operating as Continental Express prepares to land at Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Pinnacle Airlines Corporation reports 2Q net income of $5.9 million

Pinnacle Airlines Corporation (Memphis), the holding compay for Pinnacle Airlines, Colgan Air and Mesaba Aviation (Mesaba Airlines), reported second quarter 2010 net income of $5.9 million and fully diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) of $0.32, as compared to net income and EPS for the second quarter of 2009 of $7.3 million and $0.40, respectively, excluding prior year special items. The Company reported consolidated operating income of $19.8 million in the second quarter of 2010, a decrease of $3.9 million from the second quarter of 2009, excluding prior year special items. Among other items, the second quarter of 2010 was negatively affected by higher aviation insurance premiums that were the subject of a previously reported dispute with Delta and were not reimbursed totaling $1.7 million ($1.0 million net of related income taxes). The Company has resolved this dispute with Delta and does not expect to incur any additional future un-reimbursed aviation insurance premiums under its Delta Connection agreements. Second quarter 2010 pre-tax income was also reduced by a $1.5 million ($1.0 million net of related income taxes) adjustment to the fair value of interest rate options that the Company purchased to hedge interest rates in connection with the Company’s Q400 growth program.

The Company acquired Mesaba Aviation, Inc. from Delta Air Lines on July 1, 2010. Mesaba operates a fleet of 60 Canadair regional jet aircraft and 32 Saab 340B+ turbo-prop aircraft. With this acquisition, the Company’s consolidated fleet has grown from 190 regional aircraft to 282.

In late July, the Company took delivery of the first of 15 additional DHC-8-402 (Q400) regional aircraft to be operated by Colgan Air under the Company’s operating agreement with Continental Airlines. The Company expects to take delivery of seven additional Q400 aircraft in 2010, and seven Q400 aircraft in the first half of 2011.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Pinnacle Airlines’ (Delta Connection) Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N8588D (msn 7588) arrives at the MSP hub.

Delta agrees to sell Mesaba Airlines to Pinnacle Airlines

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) today (July 1) also announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell is wholly owned regional airline subsidiary Mesaba Airlines (Mesaba Aviation) (Minneapolis/St. Paul) to Pinnacle Airlines Corporation (Pinnacle Airlines) (Memphis) for $62 million.

Mesaba, like Compass Airlines, will continue to serve Delta as a Delta Connection carrier with a long-term, extendable agreement, ranging from seven to 12 years depending on aircraft type. Compass will continue to be headquartered in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. SAAB 340B N453XJ (msn 453) of Mesaba arrives back at the Delta hub at MSP.

Continental Express starts Houston-Tuxtla Gutierrez flights

Continental Airlines (Houston-Bush Intercontinental) yesterday (June 9) began twice-weekly flights between its Houston hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport and Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, the airline’s 30th Mexican destination.

The new flight, operated as a Continental Express service by ExpressJet Airlines (Houston), departs Houston at 6:15 p.m. (1815) on Wednesdays and Saturdays, arriving in Tuxtla Gutierrez at 9:20 p.m. (2120). The return flight departs Tuxtla Gutierrez at 8:30 a.m. (0830) on Thursdays and Sundays and arrives in Houston at 11:20 a.m. (1120). ExpressJet will utilize the 50-seat Embraer ERJ 145XR regional jets for the new service.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. ExpressJet’s Embraer ERJ 145XR (EMB-145XR) N13124 (msn 145689) prepares to land at Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Northwest A320 crew overflies MSP destination!

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman. N374NW is pictured arriving at MSP before the incident.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman. N374NW is pictured arriving at MSP before the incident.

Northwest Airlines-NWA (subsidiary of Delta Air Lines) (Minneapolis/St. Paul) and Delta Air Lines are cooperating with the federal investigation concerning an incident that occurred yesterday evening (October 21). The flight crew of flight NW 188 from San Diego to Minneapolis/St. Paul overflew its MSP destination by approximately 150 miles! The flight was also reportedly out of radio contact for over one hour. The crew finally realized its mistake and requested ATC permission to turnaround and fly back to MSP. The pilots have been suspended pending the results of the investigation. The crew members were reportedly arguing over pilot and company issues. The aircraft involved was Airbus A320-212 N374NW (msn 1646).

News links:

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091023/ap_on_go_ot/us_northwest_airport_overflown

aircrewbuzz.com/2009/10/northwest-pilots-lose-situational.html

Pinnacle’s pilots vote against new contract

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Please click on photo for more photos.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Please click on photo for more photos.

Pinnacle Airlines’ (Memphis) pilots, represented by ALPA, have failed to ratify an agreement to amend the current contract.

Press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Pinnacle-Airlines-Pilot-iw-414954069.html?x=0&.v=1

Frontier’s creditors approve Republic takeover

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Please click on photo for full view, information and other photos.

Please click on photo for full view, information and other photos.

Frontier Airlines’ (2nd) (Denver) creditors approved by a large margin the plan of reorganization. Frontier now becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings and will exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

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Press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Frontier-Airlines-Plan-of-bw-1744944520.html?x=0&.v=1