View source for Mesaba Airlines

{{Short description|Defunct regional airline of the United States (1944–2012)}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline          = Mesaba Airlines
| logo             = Mesaba Airlines Logo.svg
| logo_size        = 190
| IATA             = XJ
| ICAO             = MES
| callsign         = MESABA
| parent           = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[MAIR Holdings|Mesaba Holdings]] {{small|(1995–2007)}}
  | [[Northwest Airlines]] {{small|(2007–2010)}}
  | [[Delta Air Lines]] {{small|(Jan 2010–Jun 2010)}}
  | [[Pinnacle Airlines Corp.]] {{small|(2010–2012)}}}}
| founded          = {{start date|1944||}}<br />{{small|(as ''Mesaba Aviation'')}}<ref name="NAAH">{{cite book|last=Norwood|first=Tom|author2=Wegg, John|title=North American Airlines Handbook|publisher=Airways International|location=Sandpoint, ID|year=2002|edition=3rd|isbn=0-9653993-8-9|url=http://www.airwaysnews.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128070750/http://airwaysnews.com/|archive-date=2016-11-28}}</ref>
| commenced        = {{start date|1973|02|04}}<ref name="NAAH"/>
| ceased           = {{end date|2012|01|04}}<br />{{small|(merged with [[Endeavor Air#Pinnacle Airlines|Pinnacle Airlines]] to form [[Endeavor Air]])}}
| hubs             = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport|Detroit]]
  | [[Memphis International Airport|Memphis]]
  | [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport|Minneapolis/St. Paul]]
  | [[LaGuardia Airport|New York–LaGuardia]]}}
| headquarters     = [[Eagan, Minnesota]], U.S.<ref name="commercialappeal.com"/>
| key_people       = John Spanjers ([[President (corporate title)|President]])
| fleet_size       = 
| destinations     = 
| website          = 
}}

'''Mesaba Aviation, Inc.''' (operating as '''Mesaba Airlines''') was a [[regional airline]] in the [[United States]] that operated from 1944 until it merged with [[Endeavor Air#Pinnacle Airlines|Pinnacle Airlines]] in 2012 to form [[Endeavor Air]]. It was based in [[Eagan, Minnesota]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mesaba.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=53|title=Mesaba Airlines - General Office|access-date=May 19, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090424084504/http://www.mesaba.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=53|archive-date=April 24, 2009}}</ref> From 2010 to 2012, the airline was a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Pinnacle Airlines Corp.]] with [[code sharing]] flights operated as [[Delta Connection]] for [[Delta Air Lines]] and [[US Airways Express]] for [[US Airways]]. Previously, the airline operated code sharing service as [[Northwest Airlink]] and Northwest Jetlink on behalf of [[Northwest Airlines]] which subsequently merged with Delta. Mesaba also previously operated connecting flight services in association with [[Republic Airlines]] before this air carrier was subsequently merged into Northwest.  Mesaba Airlines effectively ceased operations on January 4, 2012, when all aircraft and personnel were transitioned to the [[Pinnacle Airlines]] operating certificate. Mesaba's operating certificate was surrendered on July 31, 2012.

==History==
Mesaba (from the [[Ojibwe language]], ''misaabe'': "Soaring Eagle")<ref>{{Cite book |last=Upham |first=Warren |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iDXu-1hq6bcC |title=Minnesota Geographic Names: This Origin and Historical Significance in Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society |date=1920 |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |pages=486 and 504 |language=en}}</ref><ref>John D. Nichols and Earl Nyholm. ''A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe''. University of Minnesota Press (University of Minnesota: Minneapolis, 1995) {{ISBN|0-8166-2427-5}}</ref> was founded in 1944 by Gordy Newstrom in the [[Mesabi Range]] city of [[Coleraine, Minnesota]], and started operations in the same year under the name of Mesaba Aviation. It had one airplane, a [[Piper Cub]] purchased for $1,300, and it was used to shuttle employees of the Blandin Paper Mill Company from [[Grand Rapids, Minnesota]], to [[Minneapolis]]. In 1950 Newstrom moved the company to Grand Rapids.<ref name="fu">{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/mesaba-holdings-inc-history/|title=History of Mesaba Holdings, Inc|publisher=Funding Universe|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref>

In 1973, the Halverson family of [[Duluth, Minnesota]], bought Mesaba from Newstrom. Subsequently, they started regularly scheduled airline services serving [[Spencer, Iowa]]; [[Ely, MN]]; [[Virginia, MN]]; and Duluth.<ref name="fu"/>

The Swenson family of [[Thief River Falls, Minnesota]], purchased Mesaba Aviation in 1977. They took the company public in 1982<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.startribune.com/lowell-swenson-acquired-arctic-enterprises/33479939/|title=Lowell Swenson acquired Arctic Enterprises|work=[[Star Tribune]]|date=October 28, 2008|last=Cohen|first=Ben|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> as the airline began flying to destinations in [[Minnesota]], [[North Dakota]] and [[South Dakota]] with [[Beechcraft Model 99]] commuter turboprops.<ref name="fu"/>

In late 1984, Mesaba became a [[codeshare]] partner of [[Northwest Orient Airlines]], flying regional and commuter [[turboprop]] aircraft as [[Northwest Airlink]] from small regional communities to the hub at [[Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport]]. <ref name="fu"/>

Mesaba began feeder service from [[Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport]] to small airports across the east and midwest utilizing [[Fokker F27 Friendship|Fokker F27]] and [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild Metroliner]] turboprop aircraft in 1988. Maintenance bases were established both in Detroit and [[Wausau, Wisconsin]]. The same year, Mesaba managed to add an additional 325 employees. It also expanded its network to four new routes including [[Cleveland]], [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]] and [[Akron, Ohio|Akron]] in Ohio, and [[Erie, Pennsylvania]].<ref name="fu"/>

In 1991, Mesaba built two new hangar facilities, in Detroit and Wausau, Wisconsin, and added the first of 25 [[de Havilland Canada Dash 8]] turboprop aircraft, leased from Northwest Airlines.<ref name="fu"/>

In 1995, Mesaba and Northwest reached an agreement to provide service with [[Saab 340]] turboprop aircraft.<ref name="fu"/> By 1997, Mesaba added additional flights to several new cities including [[Aspen, Colorado]], [[Bozeman, Montana]] and [[Montreal]] in Canada.<ref name="fu"/> In 1999, ''[[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]'' placed Mesaba at number 41 on their list of Top 200 Small Companies in America.<ref name="fu"/>

===Growth into jet operations===
[[Image:090228-N422XJ-MSP.jpg|thumb|right|Mesaba Airlines [[Saab 340]] in NWA Airlink livery shortly after takeoff from [[Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport]] on February 28, 2009.]]
[[File:BAE 146 Mesaba Airlines N535XJ DTW.jpg|thumb|right|Mesaba-operated [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]] taxiing at [[Detroit Metropolitan Airport]] in 2003]]

The Northwest Airlines hub in Memphis was exclusively served by Airlink partner [[Express Airlines I]], which later operated as [[Pinnacle Airlines]] and is now [[Endeavor Air]], until 1997 when Mesaba initiated its first [[jet aircraft]] service using the [[British Aerospace 146#BAe 146-200 / Avro RJ85|Avro RJ85]], the first jetliner type to be flown by either Airlink airline. The Avro RJ85 jetliner, which was a later model version of the [[British Aerospace 146|BAe 146-200]] featuring an improved cabin and more efficient engines, was operated on [[Northwest Jetlink]] flights with the aircraft being configured with 16 first class seats and 53 coach seats. This marked the first time a regional airline had offered first class as well as a coach on a regional jet aircraft.  Mesaba was split off at this time into Airways Corporation in order to address objections from mainline pilots flying for Northwest concerning Mesaba's operation of a jet fleet. Mesaba also became the first regional airline to have a first class seating option via the [[British Aerospace 146#BAe 146-200 / Avro RJ85|Avro RJ85]] jet, with this British-built four-engine aircraft being approximately twice as large as the 50-passenger regional jets manufactured by [[Canadair]] and [[Embraer]].  Eventually, as Pinnacle transitioned to an [[Bombardier CRJ100/200|Bombardier CRJ]] regional jet fleet, Mesaba took over [[Northwest Airlink]] [[Saab 340]] turboprop operations.

In 2000, the company took delivery of its final Avro RJ85 jet, along with eleven new Saab 340 turboprop aircraft. This made Mesaba the operator of the largest fleet of Avro RJ85 aircraft in the world with 36 of the type, and the second-largest operator of the Saab 340.

After the [[September 11 terrorist attacks]], Mesaba was forced to reduce its workforce by 400 employees to achieve cost savings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-107shrg76255/html/CHRG-107shrg76255.htm|title=Examining Minnesota's Economy After September 11th: Strategies for Workforce and Business Recovery|publisher=[[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]]|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> In the fall of 2003, Northwest wanted to retire the Avro jet fleet, which comprised about half of Mesaba's revenue. They were inefficient and aging, according to Northwest. However, Mesaba was able to negotiate a deal with Northwest which enabled the Avro fleet to remain in service. In 2005, Mesaba began receiving fifteen new [[Canadair CRJ]] regional jets that would eventually replace the larger Avro jets.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}

===Bankruptcy===
On September 14, 2005, [[Northwest Airlines]] filed for [[Chapter 11 Bankruptcy]] protection.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2005/09/14/news/fortune500/northwest/|title=No. 4 Northwest Airlines follows No.3 Delta into bankruptcy|publisher=[[CNN Money]]|last=Isidore|first=Chris|date=September 14, 2005|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> Subsequently, the airline withheld over [[US$]]25 million in payments from their regional partners, Mesaba and [[Endeavor Air|Pinnacle]]. Northwest proceeded to announce plans to ground the entire Avro jet fleet by Q1 2007, ten Saab 340B aircraft by January 2006, and also halt the delivery of the 13 remaining CRJs, leaving Mesaba with an awkward and expensive fleet of two aircraft types. Facing rising fuel costs, downsizing plans, and lack of income from Northwest, Mesaba filed for [[Chapter 11 Bankruptcy]] on October 13, 2005.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/10/13_zdechlikm_mesababankrupt/|title= Mesaba follows Northwest Airlines into bankruptcy |publisher=Minnesota Public Radio|date=October 13, 2005|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref>

In an interview in January 2006, Mesaba President John Spanjers announced that the Mesaba fleet would be cut in half by the end of the year. Twelve [[British Aerospace 146#BAe 146-200 / Avro RJ85|Avro RJ85]] jets had already been removed from the fleet, and the balance would be grounded by the end of the year. Ten [[Saab 340]] "B" model aircraft were returned to Pinnacle Airlines (from whom they were leased) during January 2006 while the three remaining "A" model Saab 340's and the two [[Bombardier CRJ100/200|Bombardier CRJ]] regional jets that had been delivered to Mesaba prior to bankruptcy would leave the fleet before mid-year. These changes left Mesaba with a fleet of 49 Saab 340 turboprops.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}

On April 14, 2006, the company announced reductions of the Avro RJ85 fleet, at Northwest Airlines' direction. The RJ85 jets ceased flying out of Memphis on June 8, Minneapolis/St. Paul on October 31, and Detroit on December 4, 2006. Separately it was announced that one of the two 50-seat [[Bombardier CRJ100/200#CRJ-200|CRJ200]] regional jets operated by Mesaba would be transferred to Northwest in order to initiate flying operations (expected in late 2006) for newly formed Northwest Airlines subsidiary [[Compass Airlines (North America)|Compass Airlines]].

By the end of October 2006, all three of the major unions representing the [[aviator|pilot]]s,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-10-29 |title=wcco.com - Mesaba Airlines Reaches Tentative Agreement |url=http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_301192449.html |access-date=2023-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061029015434/http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_301192449.html |archive-date=2006-10-29 }}</ref> [[flight attendant]]s,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-10-30 |title=Mesaba flight attendants reach deal |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2006/10/29/mesaba-flight-attendants-reach-deal |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=MPR News |language=en}}</ref> and [[mechanic]]s<ref>[http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061101/BUSINESS05/611010339/1018 Mesaba Aviation Mechanics Agree To Accept Wage Cuts] (Detroit Free Press: November 1, 2006)</ref> reached tentative agreements that still needed to be approved by the membership. On November 27, 2006, the three unions announced that their membership had ratified the new agreements.

In December 2006, Northwest Airlines planned to purchase Mesaba Airlines from owner [[MAIR Holdings]] and operate it as a wholly owned subsidiary. Tentative agreements concerning the sale were made; however, the merger could not have been approved without going through bankruptcy board proceedings and approvals of regulators and various interest groups. On April 24, 2007, Mesaba Airlines emerged from bankruptcy protection and was officially acquired by Northwest Airlines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwa.com/corpinfo/newsc/2007/pr042420071757.html|title=Northwest Airlines Acquires Mesaba Airlines|date=April 24, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909044159/http://www.nwa.com/corpinfo/newsc/2007/pr042420071757.html|archive-date=September 9, 2012}}</ref>

With the merging of Northwest Airlines into Delta Air Lines, Mesaba underwent numerous changes as a subsidiary of the new company. A portion of the Saab 340 fleet was relocated to Atlanta. Delta also allocated five more [[Bombardier CRJ700 series#CRJ900|CRJ900]] regional jets to Mesaba to be operated out of Delta's [[Salt Lake City]] hub. In 2009, several routes were added, utilizing the new CRJ900s and the existing Saab 340 aircraft.

===Fined for not deplaning passengers===
{{Main|2009 Rochester, Minn. airport tarmac stranding incident}}
On November 24, 2009, Mesaba was one of three airlines, including [[Continental Airlines]] and [[ExpressJet]], [[Fine (penalty)|fined]] by the [[US Department of Transportation]] (DOT) for delaying passengers from deplaning for over six hours overnight in [[Rochester, MN]] on August 8, 2009. Mesaba's civil penalty was [[US$]]75,000, 50% more than the fine for Continental and ExpressJet.<ref name="DN">{{Cite news|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2009/11/24/dot-hands-out-175000-in-fines-for-rochester-fiasco/|title=DOT hands out $175,000 in fines for Rochester fiasco|work=[[Dallas News]]|last=Maxon|first=Terry|date=November 24, 2009|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> It was the first fine ever from the DOT for misconduct related to passengers' being held in planes on the tarmac for an extended time.

When the ExpressJet flight was diverted to Rochester due to bad weather in [[Minneapolis]], Mesaba personnel in the Rochester terminal agreed in advance to help deplane the passengers. However, when the plane landed, Mesaba personnel [[renege]]d, stating that there were no [[Transportation Security Administration|TSA]] personnel in the terminal. The DOT stated that the rules for such circumstances allow passengers to be deplaned and kept in a secure area, even when there are no TSA personnel available. The DOT ruled that the actions by Mesaba personnel constituted an "unfair and deceptive practice" because they had agreed to deplane the passengers. Continental and ExpressJet were fined because they did not follow their own internal procedures and passenger commitments, and were ultimately responsible for the passengers' welfare.<ref name="DN"/>

Since the incident, the ramp personnel in Rochester along with other ground stations handled by Mesaba, [[Comair (USA)|Comair]], and Compass, have since been merged and renamed [[Regional Elite Airline Services]] (REAS).

===Sale to Pinnacle===
On July 1, 2010, [[Delta Air Lines]] sold Mesaba to [[Pinnacle Airlines Corporation]] for $62 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/2010/07/01/delta-agrees-to-sell-mesaba-airlines-to-pinnacle-airlines/|title=Delta agrees to sell Mesaba Airlines to Pinnacle Airlines|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|last=Drum|first=Bruce|date=July 1, 2010|access-date=July 21, 2020}}</ref> The same day, Pinnacle Airlines Corporation announced that they intended to have Mesaba Airlines operate an all-turboprop fleet, whereas sister company, [[Pinnacle Airlines]], would remain an all-jet operator. It was also announced that Pinnacle's other subsidiary, [[Colgan Air]], would cease to exist, and Mesaba would inherit the Colgan fleet of [[Saab 340]]s and [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 400|Bombardier Q400s]]. In time, all aircraft and personnel were transferred to Pinnacle Airlines.<ref name="commercialappeal.com">{{Cite web |last=Risher |first=Wayne |date=October 24, 2011 |title=Pinnacle Airlines to move Mesaba headquarters to Memphis, cutting 200 jobs in Minnesota |url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/24/pinnacle-airlines-move-mesaba-headquarters-memphis/?partner=yahoo_feeds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203011839/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/24/pinnacle-airlines-move-mesaba-headquarters-memphis/?partner=yahoo_feeds |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |website=[[The Commercial Appeal]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2011 |title=Mesaba Airlines to Close Eagan HQ, Cut 193 Jobs |url=http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/338016/ |website=Twin Cities Business}}</ref>

In 2011, Mesaba Airlines began operating flights out of [[New York City]]'s [[LaGuardia Airport]] for [[US Airways]] under the [[US Airways Express]] brand. This codeshare service utilized [[Saab 340]] aircraft and replaced the service that was being operated by [[Colgan Air]].

Ultimately Colgan's [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 400|Bombardier Q400]] turboprops were never transferred to Mesaba as they were retired from service by [[United Express]], whom they operated for on a [[code sharing]] basis on behalf of [[United Airlines]], before the transition from Colgan to Mesaba took place.

On January 4, 2012, Mesaba was folded into Pinnacle Airlines. Mesaba's operating certificate was surrendered on July 31, 2012. Mesaba Airlines ended operations as one of the world's safest air carriers with no fatalities recorded during its 68 years of operations.

==Awards==
In early 1998, in recognition of the successful introduction of two new airliner types to the fleet (the [[Saab 340]] and the [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]]) while maintaining excellent operating performance, Mesaba Airlines was presented with the [[Air Transport World]] (ATW) "Regional Airline of the Year for 1997" award. [[Saab AB]] painted two new [[Saab 340]] aircraft in special commemorative liveries celebrating both the award and Mesaba's 25th anniversary of scheduled airline service.

On August 31, 2005, Mesaba Airlines was named the winner of the 2005 Operational Excellence Award by [[AIG Aviation]], a U.S. based underwriter of aviation insurance. The award has been presented only four times since its creation in 1998 and recognizes clients that exhibit a strong commitment to building quality safety and loss prevention programs. Mesaba was the unanimous selection out of an entry pool of more than 650 companies.<ref>''[[Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal]]'': September 1, 2005</ref>

==Destinations==
Over the years, Mesaba grew to operate a fleet of [[turboprop]] and [[turbofan]] powered airliners from [[Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport]], [[Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport]], [[Memphis International Airport]], [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], [[Salt Lake City International Airport]] and [[Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport]] on [[code sharing]] flights primarily to small-to-medium-sized cities on behalf of its major airline partners.

Mesaba began operating as [[US Airways Express]] on behalf of [[US Airways]] in March 2011, replacing [[Colgan Air]] service, with seven [[Saab 340]] aircraft to eight destinations served from New York [[LaGuardia Airport]]:  [[Charlottesville, VA]]; [[Manchester, NH]]; [[Ithaca, NY]]; [[Syracuse, NY]]; [[Providence, RI]]; and [[Washington Dulles]], as well as [[Martha's Vineyard, MA]] and [[Nantucket, MA]] with both of these destinations being served on a seasonal basis.

===Destinations in 1981===
Mesaba was a small independent commuter air carrier at this time in June 1981 operating [[Beechcraft 99]] turboprop aircraft on just one linear route:  [[Minneapolis]]/[[St. Paul, MN]] - [[Brainerd, MN]] - [[Grand Rapids, MN]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mesaba Airlines June 12, 1981 Route Map |url=https://www.departedflights.com/XJ061281.html |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=www.departedflights.com}}</ref>

===Destinations in 1986===
Mesaba was operating [[Northwest Airlink]] [[code sharing]] flights in June 1986 for [[Northwest Airlines]] (which was operating as Northwest Orient at this time) with 19-passenger [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner]] ("Metro III" model) and 48-passenger [[Fokker F27 Friendship|Fokker F27]] turboprops serving the following destinations:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Northwest Airlines History Center WELCOME - Northwest Airlines History Center |url=https://northwestairlineshistory.org/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |language=en-US}}</ref>

* [[Aberdeen, SD]]
* [[Bemidji, MN]]
* [[Brainerd, MN]]
* [[Brookings, SD]]
* [[Cedar Rapids, IA]]
* [[Des Moines, IA]]
* [[Devils Lake, ND]]
* [[Duluth, MN]]
* [[Grand Rapids, MN]]
* [[Hibbing, MN]]
* [[Huron, SD]]
* [[Jamestown, ND]]
* [[Minneapolis]]/[[St. Paul, MN]] - '''Hub'''
* [[Moline, IL]]
* [[Mitchell, SD]]
* [[Pierre, SD]]
* [[Rapid City, SD]]
* [[Rochester, MN]]
* [[Sioux Falls, SD]]
* [[Thief River Falls, MN]]
* [[Wausau, Wisconsin|Wausau]]/[[Stevens Point, WI]]

===Destinations served in 1999 from the Northwest Airlines hub in Minneapolis/St. Paul===
Those destinations noted in '''bold''' were served in May 1999 by Mesaba with a [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]] jet aircraft operating as Northwest Jetlink [[code sharing]] flights from the Northwest hub located at the [[Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport]] (MSP) with Northwest Airlink code share service from MSP to other destinations being operated by Mesaba with [[Saab 340]] turboprop aircraft at this time:<ref name="departedflights.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.departedflights.com/NWairlink0599.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182932/https://www.departedflights.com/NWairlink0599.html|url-status=dead|title=Northwest Airlink May 1999 Route Maps|archivedate=July 9, 2021|website=www.departedflights.com}}</ref>

* [[Aberdeen, SD]]
* [[Appleton, WI]]
* '''[[Aspen, CO]]'''
* [[Bemidji, MN]]
* [[Bismarck, ND]]
* [[Bloomington, IL]]/[[Normal, IL]]
* [[Brainerd, MN]]
* '''[[Cedar Rapids, IA]]'''
* '''[[Cincinnati, OH]]'''
* '''[[Des Moines, IA]]'''
* [[Dubuque, IA]]
* '''[[Duluth, MN]]'''
* [[Eau Claire, WI]]
* [[Escanaba, MI]]
* [[Ely, MN]]
* '''[[Fargo, ND]]'''
* '''[[Flint, MI]]'''
* [[Fort Dodge, IA]]
* '''[[Grand Forks, ND]]'''
* [[Grand Rapids, MN]]
* [[Green Bay, WI]]
* [[Hibbing, MN]]
* [[Houghton, MI]]/[[Hancock, MI]]
* [[International Falls, MN]]
* [[Kenora, Ontario]], [[Canada]]
* [[La Crosse, WI]]
* [[Lincoln, NE]]
* [[Madison, WI]]
* [[Marquette, MI]]
* [[Mason City, IA]] 
* '''[[Minneapolis]]/[[St. Paul, MN]]''' - '''Hub'''
* [[Moline, IL]]
* [[Omaha, NE]]
* [[Pellston, MI]]
* [[Peoria, IL]]
* '''[[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, PA]]'''
* [[Pierre, SD]]
* [[Rapid City, SD]]
* '''[[Regina, Saskatchewan]], [[Canada]]'''
* [[Rhinelander, WI]]
* [[Rochester, MN]]
* [[Rockford, IL]]
* [[St. Cloud, MN]]
* '''[[St. Louis|St. Louis, MO]]'''
* [[Sioux City, IA]]
* '''[[Sioux Falls, SD]]'''
* '''[[Steamboat Springs, CO]]''' (served via the [[Yampa Valley Airport]])
* [[Thief River Falls, MN]]
* [[Thunder Bay, Ontario]], [[Canada]]
* '''[[Traverse City, MI]]'''
* [[Waterloo, IA]]
* [[Watertown, SD]]
* [[Wausau, Wisconsin|Wausau]]/[[Stevens Point, WI]]
* '''[[White Plains, NY]]''' (served via the [[Westchester County Airport]])

According to the [[Official Airline Guide]] (OAG), by October 1999 Mesaba had extended its Northwest Jetlink [[Avro RJ85]] service from the Northwest hub in Minneapolis/St. Paul to [[Green Bay, WI]], [[Kalamazoo, MI]], [[La Crosse, WI]], [[Rochester, MN]] and [[Saginaw, MI]] in addition to the above destinations listed in bold.<ref>Oct. 1, 1999 OAG North America Pocket Flight Guide, Minneapolis/St. Paul flight schedules</ref>

===Destinations served in 1999 from the Northwest Airlines hub in Memphis===
In May 1999, Mesaba was operating all of its Northwest Airlines [[code sharing]] flights from the Northwest hub located at the [[Memphis International Airport]] (MEM) with [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]] jet aircraft with these Northwest Jetlink destinations noted in '''bold''':<ref name="departedflights.com"/>

* '''[[Atlanta, GA]]'''
* '''[[Cincinnati, OH]]'''
* '''[[Dallas]]/[[Fort Worth, TX]]'''
* '''[[Fayetteville, AR]]'''
* '''[[Huntsville, AL]]'''
* '''[[Knoxville, TN]]'''
*  '''[[Memphis, TN]]''' - '''Hub'''
* '''[[St. Louis, MO]]'''
* '''[[Wichita, KS]]'''

Another regional air carrier, [[Express Airlines I]], was also operating code sharing flights at this time from Memphis for Northwest utilizing turboprop aircraft for its Northwest Airlink service.<ref>https://www.departedfligthts.com/NWairlink0599.html<nowiki/>{{Dead link|date=May 2024|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

According to the [[Official Airline Guide]] (OAG), by October 1999 Mesaba had extended its Northwest Jetlink [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]] service from the Northwest hub in Memphis to [[Grand Rapids, MI]] and [[Raleigh]]/[[Durham, NC]].<ref>Oct. 1, 1999 OAG North America Pocket Flight Guide, Memphis flight schedules</ref>

===Destinations served in 1999 from the Northwest Airlines hub in Detroit===
Those destinations noted in '''bold''' were served in May 1999 by Mesaba with [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]] jet aircraft operating as Northwest Jetlink [[code sharing]] flights from the Northwest hub located at the [[Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport]] (DTW) with Northwest Airlink code share service from DTW to other destinations being operated by Mesaba with [[Saab 340]] turboprop aircraft as this time:<ref name="departedflights.com"/>

* [[Akron]]/[[Canton, OH]]
* '''[[Allentown, Pennsylvania|Allentown, PA]]'''
* [[Alpena, MI]]
* [[Appleton, WI]]
* [[Benton Harbor, MI]]
* [[Binghamton, NY]]
* [[Bloomington, IL]]/[[Normal, IL]]
* '''[[Buffalo, NY]]'''
* [[Champaign]]/[[Urbana, IL]]
* [[Charleston, WV]]
* '''[[Cincinnati, OH]]'''
* [[Cleveland, OH]]
* '''[[Columbus, OH]]'''
* '''[[Dayton, OH]]'''
* '''[[Detroit, MI]]''' - '''Hub'''
* '''[[Des Moines, IA]]'''
* '''[[Duluth, MN]]'''
* [[Elmira, NY]]/[[Corning, NY]]
* [[Erie, PA]]
* [[Escanaba, MI]]
* [[Evansville, IN]]
* [[Flint, MI]]
* [[Fort Wayne, IN]]
* '''[[Green Bay, WI]]'''
* '''[[Greensboro, NC]]''' 
* '''[[Harrisburg, PA]]'''
* [[Houghton, MI]]/[[Hancock, MI]]
* '''[[Kalamazoo, MI]]'''
* '''[[Knoxville, TN]]'''
* [[Lafayette, IN]]
* [[Lansing, MI]]
* [[Lexington, KY]]
* [[London, Ontario]], [[Canada]]
* '''[[Louisville, KY]]'''
* '''[[Madison, WI]]'''
* [[Marquette, MI]]
* '''[[Montreal, Quebec]], [[Canada]]'''
* [[Muskegon, MI]]
* [[Ottawa, Ontario]], [[Canada]]
* [[Owensboro, KY]]
* [[Pellston, MI]]
* [[Peoria, IL]]
* '''[[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, PA]]'''
* '''[[Portland, ME]]'''
* [[Rhinelander, WI]]
* [[Roanoke, VA]]
* [[Rockford, IL]]
* [[Rochester, NY]]
* [[Saginaw, MI]]
* [[Sault Ste. Marie, MI]]
* [[South Bend, IN]]
* [[State College, PA]]
* [[Toledo, OH]]
* [[Traverse City, MI]]
* [[Wausau, WI]]/[[Stevens Point, WI]]
* '''[[White Plains, NY]]''' (served via the [[Westchester County Airport]])
* [[Youngstown, OH]]

According to the [[Official Airline Guide]] (OAG), by October 1999 Mesaba had extended its Northwest Jetlink [[British Aerospace 146|Avro RJ85]] service from the Northwest hub in Detroit to [[Flint, MI]], [[Lexington, KY]], [[Saginaw, MI]], [[South Bend, IN]] and [[Traverse City, MI]] in addition to the destinations listed above in bold.<ref>Oct. 1, 1999 OAG North America Pocket Flight Guide, Detroit flight schedules</ref>

==Fleet==
The Mesaba Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft (as of September 7, 2011):<ref>[http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=XJ&al_op=1 Mesaba Airlines fleet list at ch-aviation.ch. Retrieved 2010-05-16.]{{Dead link|date=December 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2"| Aircraft
!rowspan="2"| Total
!rowspan="2"| Options
!colspan="3" class="unsortable" | Passengers
!rowspan="2"| Notes
|-
! <abbr title="First">F</abbr>
! <abbr title="Economy">Y</abbr>
! Total
|-
|[[Bombardier CRJ100/200#CRJ-200|Bombardier CRJ200]]
|19
|&mdash;
|0
|50
|50
|
|-
|[[Bombardier CRJ700 series#CRJ900|Bombardier CRJ900]]
|41
|29
|12
|64
|76
|
|}

===Retired===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Aircraft
!Year retired
!Notes
!Replacement
|-
|[[Fokker F27 Friendship|Fokker F27]]
|
|Scrapped
|Dash 8-100
|-
|[[Beechcraft Model 99]]
|
|
|Fairchild Metroliner
|-
|[[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 100|Bombardier Dash 8-100]]
|1998
|Sold to [[Piedmont Airlines]]
|Saab 340
|-
|[[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner|Fairchild Metroliner III]]
|1997
|Converted to freighters or operated in the Bahamas
|Saab 340
|-
|[[Saab 340]]
|2011{{Cn|date=February 2025}}
|
|Bombardier CRJ200
|-
|[[British Aerospace 146#BAe 146-200 / Avro RJ85|Avro RJ85]]
|2006
|Operated as [[Northwest Jetlink]] flights on behalf of [[Northwest Airlines]].  Aircraft were configured with 16 first class seats and 53 coach seats.<ref>OAG Flight Guide Supplement, January–March 2006, Aircraft seating plans, Northwest Airlines ARJ (Avro Regional Jet) seat map</ref>  Majority transferred to [[Cityjet]] ([[Dublin]], [[Ireland]]) One previously operated [[LaMia Flight 2933|crashed in 2016]]
|Bombardier CRJ900
|}

==See also==
* [[List of defunct airlines of the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Mesaba Airlines}}
* [http://www.mesaba.com/ Mesaba Airlines] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810220645/http://www.mesaba.com/ |date=2015-08-10 }}
* [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcop&opp=Mesaba%20(Northwest%20Airlines) Mesaba Airlines fleet age]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060521213207/http://www.mesaba-restructuring.com/ Official bankruptcy information]
* [http://bankrupt.com/mesaba.txt Unofficial bankruptcy information]

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[[Category:Defunct regional airlines of the United States]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1944]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2012]]
[[Category:Companies based in Eagan, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Delta Air Lines]]
[[Category:Northwest Airlines]]
[[Category:Former SkyTeam affiliate members]]
[[Category:Airlines based in Minnesota]]