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Mesaba's plans for Brainerd a mystery
Staff Writer Steve Sievek, airport manager at the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, said Tuesday that the airport has been receiving calls daily from customers wondering if Mesaba Aviation Inc. will continue to operate flights to and from Brainerd in the wake of impending pay cuts and talk of a possible strike.
But Sievek said he's just as in the dark as the public about what could happen.
"We don't have the answer," Sievek said. "Obviously, they're reading the news stories and are concerned about it and that concerns us. I wish we were privy to something we could pass on to our customers to raise their comfort level. I heard Northwest Airlines has a contingency plan, but we have no idea what that plan is."
A bankruptcy judge on Monday blocked a strike by unions at Mesaba, which has been reorganizing under bankruptcy protection for a year. The judge's decision allows Mesaba to cut employee pay starting Thursday without the fear of work stoppage. Mesaba had said that a walkout would kill the airline, according to The Associated Press.
Sievek said 20,700 passengers flew Mesaba from the Brainerd airport in 2005 and he expected an increase in that figure this year, unless there is a disruption in service. The Brainerd airport had 1,770 customers in September.
Sievek said he wouldn't be surprised if Mesaba experiences sizable resignations, resulting in crew availability problems, because of the 17.5 percent pay cut Mesaba is expected to impose on employees.
Mesaba is the only airline that provides passenger service to Brainerd, Grand Rapids, Bemidji, Hibbing, International Falls and Thief River Falls.
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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