, a subsidiary of
Mesa Air Group , is a US airline headquartered in
Phoenix, Arizona which operates flights as
Air Midwest ,
America West Express ,
United Express and
US Airways Express . It also operates flights under its own name for flights originating from
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and the
Albuquerque International Sunport . Starting
June 9 ,
2006 it will also operate flights for
Go! a division of Mesa Air Group.
In 1982 Larry Risley founded Mesa Airlines in
Farmington, New Mexico with the purchase of the company's first airplane. The company expanded and grew over the next fifteen years, eventually acquiring sufficient power and assets to acquire several competing regional air carriers. The following list details the acquisitions by year.
In 1997 and 1998, financial problems ended Mesa Airlines' partnership with United Airlines. The company's former CEO returned to Mesa Airlines to help the struggling carrier. Under his leadership, Mesa Airlines moved its headquarters from Farmington, to Phoenix, Arizona. He also arranged a six-year deal for Mesa Airlines to operate flights as America West Express for America West Airlines. Again upon solid financial footing, Mesa Air Group has begun to seek expansion through acquisition of other regional carriers.
As of FY2003, Mesa Airlines operated 150 airplanes including:
The average Mesa Airlines fleet age is 5.8 years old in march 2006.
