This should give airplane makers a boost

[StarOfAfrica2]

MESA announced it will become the first US airline to operate a joint venture with Shenzhen Airlines flying in mainland China, creating a new regional carrier. Service will be provided between Shenzhen, Bejing, Chongqing, Xiamen, Nanjing, Kunming, Dalian, Shenyang, Xian, Zhengzhou and Nanning.  Service is to start within 12 months with 20 50-seat jets in operation before the 2008 Bejing Olympic games.  The fleet is to expand to over 100 planes over 5 years and include 50-, 70-, and 90-seat aircraft.  Types have not yet been determined.

For anyone that isnt familiar with them, Mesa has a history of taking small niche airlines that no one else could get a profit out of and making them profitable.  They have been operating an interisland service here in Hawaii for the last year, and they have cut the cost of tickets in half.  And still making a profit.

[Golfer]

Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
They have been operating an interisland service here in Hawaii for the last year, and they have cut the cost of tickets in half.  And still making a profit.

They have been using some creative cost cutting measures.

Not providing crewmembers with hotel rooms on CDO/Highspeed overnights.  Instead they are issued a board to place over the row of seats to convert a row of seats into a bed.

All this on under $18,000 a year for your first year.  Under 24,000 your second year.

Combine it with lousy work rules, horrible schedules and hardly qualified pilots...sounds great!  Sign me up.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by Golfer
They have been using some creative cost cutting measures.

Not providing crewmembers with hotel rooms on CDO/Highspeed overnights.  Instead they are issued a board to place over the row of seats to convert a row of seats into a bed.

All this on under $18,000 a year for your first year.  Under 24,000 your second year.

Combine it with lousy work rules, horrible schedules and hardly qualified pilots...sounds great!  Sign me up.

[BlkKnit]

Mesa

I have had many dealings with a company very much like this

They have poor planning, poorer leadership and ridiculous ideas about how little sleep a person actually needs.......Oh the tales I could tell.

[Torcher]

I've got a cockpit team for them:

http://www.zianet.com/tedmorris/dg/bombers4.html

[Golfer]

I'd post a link to the exact same thread you just posted a few minutes ago...but I won't.

I won't also mention it's been posted about a dozen times before, either.

[Ripsnort]

This should give airplane makers a boost

Small aircraft makers maybe....I don't even think Boeing has a model that carries less than 110 passengers...except the Boeing Business jet, which caters to the very weathiest.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Golfer, I'm not arging their business practices.  I'm looking at them from the standpoint of a customer and a stockholder.

They succeed where others fail.  Regularly.  They make profits for their stockholders.  They provide a service that their customers enjoy and can afford.  In short, they do what we want all airlines to do.  How they do it is irrellevant to those of us on the ground.  I can see how from your point of view, you wouldnt like them.  I understand it and sympathize.  I'm going to keep giving them my business though.  They get the job done.

Mesa  

I have had many dealings with a company very much like this  

They have poor planning, poorer leadership and ridiculous ideas about how little sleep a person actually needs.......Oh the tales I could tell.

From your POV, maybe.  If they have such poor leadership, why are they so successful?  They have great leadership as far as Wall Street is concerned.

[StarOfAfrica2]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
This should give airplane makers a boost

Small aircraft makers maybe....I don't even think Boeing has a model that carries less than 110 passengers...except the Boeing Business jet, which caters to the very weathiest.

I wasnt aware of that.  Wishful thinking on my part I guess.

[Ripsnort]

I've invested some cash into this company over the past couple  of years, as I believe they will be the next up and coming company to start producing a competite 50-100 passenger commercial airplane:
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c061017HondaJetNBAA/

[StarOfAfrica2]

I know the ones go! are using here are strictly Canadair 50 seaters.  Not the most comfortable plane in the world, but for under an hour in the air its liveable.  I heard some time ago about Honda entering the plane business but then forgot to keep up with it.  I'll have to look into that one some more myself.  

[Skuzzy]

I have been watching Honda's jet development for a while.  Pretty interesting.  I am curious about the service interval on those engine mounting arms.  

They seem to be taking thier time with it though.  Could be a winner.

[Toad]

Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
How they do it is irrellevant to those of us on the ground.  

True; however, their shoddy, shortcutting maintenance procedures, abyssmal failure to honor FAA crew rest rules, pressuring of crews to accept planes with serious mechanical problems and to fly into weather that is marginal at best is pretty relevant to those back in the cabin while in flight.

Mesa is pretty much the poster child for everything that is bad in commuter aviation. But hey... they make money, right? That's all that matters!

[StarOfAfrica2]

I'm not saying you arent right.  I cant agree or disagree because I have no knowledge of what they are like to work for.  All I know is, for years we've watched as prices went up and up and up for tickets to go anywhere, while quality of service has gone down and down and down.  Airlines go bankrupt, flights get cancelled or run late, and the seemingly constant bickering between unions and owners pinches the customers worse than anyone.  Add to it the increased security pressure since 9/11 and its a wonder more people dont threaten to blow up planes.  Not for terrorist purposes, but just out of frustration.  Maybe Mesa is as bad as you say, but they look good from the outside.

[LePaul]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
I have been watching Honda's jet development for a while.  Pretty interesting.  I am curious about the service interval on those engine mounting arms.  

They seem to be taking thier time with it though.  Could be a winner.

Its funny you say that, I wondered much the same when I first saw that design.

They claim a significant noise reduction from the engines not being attached to the fuselage.  But, how much difference can 4 feet make?

Still, they are partnering with Beechcraft (I think), so they are tapping into some excellent experience.