On June 25, 2008, the shareholders of MAIR Holdings, Inc. voted to approve the company’s dissolution and plan of liquidation. The company was founded in 1993 when Mesaba executives decided to spin off its turboprop operation to MAIR in favor of growing into a low-cost operation that became AirTran.
At its height, it held two operating certificates – Mesaba Airlines and Big Sky Aviation, acquired in 2002. Mesaba, which operates as a Northwest Airlink, was sold to Northwest when the major carrier emerged from bankruptcy last year. Big Sky, a major essential air service carrier, folded earlier this year under the weight of fuel costs, ending 30 years of regional air service. It was created to replace the original Frontier Airlines in several eastern and central Montana points after deregulation. Big Sky also began incorporating essential air service routes once operated by Aspen Mountain Air in 1998, after AMA’s bankruptcy.

Mesaba, founded in 1944 is the longest-standing regional airline in the United States and continues to operate as a Northwest Airlink serving more than 75 cities in the United States and Canada from Northwest’s three major hubs: Detroit , Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis. Headquartered in Eagan, Minn. It operates an fleet of regional jet and jet-prop aircraft, consisting of the 34-passenger Saab SF340, the 50-passenger Bombardier CRJ200 and the 76-passenger Bombardier CRJ900 regional jet aircraft.
In connection with the dissolution, and as provided for in the MAIR’s liquidation plan, the company filed notice to delist its stock from the NASDAQ Stock Market. The last day of trading for the company’s stock was July 7, also the record date for liquidating distributions made to the company’s shareholders.
MAIR’s activities will now be limited to winding up its business, including satisfying its remaining obligations and liquidating its assets, including liquidating Big Sky’s assets. MAIR will then distribute all excess cash to its shareholders. MAIR is currently reviewing the timing by which an interim liquidating distribution may be made to its shareholders.