PHOENIX — Mesa Air Group, the Phoenix-based company that operates regional commercial carrier Mesa Airlines, has been able to hire and retain pilots better than expected.WE'RE HERE TO HELP Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!On July 12, Mesa Air will furlough 12 pilots and implement training deferrals for 41 pilot trainees, the company announced. The furloughs and deferrals are expected to save Mesa around $750,000 per month in operating expenses.
The excess of pilots for Mesa Air is a dramatic shift from just a few years ago when the company struggled to hire and retain enough pilots because they were being hired away quickly by major carriers like United Airlines or American Airlines.