Mesa Airlines (YV, Phoenix Sky Harbor) parent Mesa Air Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) to sell all eighteen of its CRJ550s for a total consideration of around USD50 million.
The regional capacity provider said in a stock exchange filing that the transaction pertains to CRJ700s, as the CRJ550 is a converted variant of the former type. The transaction involves seventeen CRJ550ERs and one non -ER aircraft. The ch-aviation fleets module shows that all 18 jets are currently operated by GoJet Airlines (G7, St. Louis Lambert International) under the United Express regional partnership. They used to be operated as CRJ700s by Mesa Airlines but were retired by the carrier by early 2022, the ch-aviation fleets history module reveals.
The aircraft were sold on an "as is, where is" basis. Currently, just five are active, while the remainder is in storage: twelve at Kingman and one at St. Louis Lambert International.
Mesa Air Group did not provide a timeline for the completion of the sale but said that the MoU provides for a downward adjustment of the price if the sale is finalised after January 31, 2023.
United Airlines already owns thirteen CRJ550s and CRJ700s, including six that are under conversion and six operated by GoJet. It has a total of sixty-one CRJ550s (ER and non-ER) operating on its behalf and three under conversion. Following the transaction with Mesa Air Group, United owns 31 units, while the remainder are owned by SkyWest Airlines. All are operated by GoJet Airlines. SkyWest Airlines also owns and operates eighteen unconverted CRJ700 Srs 702s on behalf of United.
