Mesa Pilots Lack Confidence in Management

Mesa pilots charged Mesa Air Group management with ignoring mounting operational problems prompting its pilot group to issue a public statement that they lack confidence in management. Issued by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the statement said management “passed off” such problems as “broken aircraft, crew shortages, dirty cabins, delayed and cancelled flights” as the result of rapid growth. Pilots added the problems are continuing to grow. The union surveyed its Mesa members and found 90 percent had lost confidence in their management. "Our operational problems," James Ackerman, chairman of ALPA's Mesa unit said, "are taking a huge toll on Mesa pilots' quality of life and damaging this company's reputation." He said he hoped management would consider the pilots' views seriously. Mesa ranks near the bottom of U.S. Department of Transportation statistics on airline performance, including ranking lower than some other carriers serving similar segments of the industry.