Arizona’s Mesa Airlines extends CPA with American Airlines

Mesa Airlines (YV, Phoenix Sky Harbor) has announced it has renewed its Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) with American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) and will continue to operate CRJ900s on its behalf for at least another five years. The new contract, which replaces a previous one from 2001 which itself was due to expire in stages through 2022, will enter into effect on January 1, 2021, for a five-year period. Under the terms of the renewed CPA, Mesa Airlines will operate forty CRJ900s under the American Eagle brand. American Airlines will have the option to withdraw up to 10 aircraft during calendar year 2021 (although in the first half of the year, only if it also reduces its mainline fleet), five aircraft during each of calendar years 2022 and 2023, and during the period from January 1, 2024, to July 31, 2024, American can remove the first 20 aircraft to the extent not otherwise removed in 2021-2023. The last 20 aircraft can be withdrawn after July 31, 2024. The current CPA between American Airlines and Mesa Airlines covers forty-seven CRJ900s. Under the agreement, the first 30 were due to expire in 2021 and the remaining 17 during 2022. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Mesa Airlines operates a total of sixty-four CRJ900s, all of them used for American Eagle flying. It owns 48 of these aircraft and dry-leases the remaining units from Bombardier Services (15) and Aviator Capital (one). The airline does not operate any other aircraft on behalf of American Airlines. American Airlines also subcontracts its CRJ900 operations to its subsidiary PSA Airlines (OH, Dayton James M. Cox).