A New Horizon for Two Regional Airlines

Two regional airlines are joining forces. Republic Airways and Mesa Air Group are merging. This move will create a larger airline with more planes to serve various routes. The exact financial details of this merger are not public yet. The two airlines have a lot in common. They both started in the 1970s and 1980s. They also have a similar fleet of planes. Republic Airways has over 240 Embraer 170/175 aircraft. It carried around 17. 5 million passengers last year. Most of its flights are in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. It works closely with American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Mesa Air Group, on the other hand, serves 89 cities in 40 states. It also flies to the Bahamas, Canada, Cuba, and Mexico. It has 60 Embraer 175 aircraft and around 1, 700 employees. All of its flights are operated as United Express. The merger will result in a single fleet of about 310 Embraer 170/175 aircraft. The new airline will have more than 1, 250 daily departures. It will continue to serve American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines. The goal is to keep all flight crews, technicians, and other operational staff. The new company will be called Republic Airways Holdings Inc. It will be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “RJET. ” The board will include six directors from Republic's board and one independent director from Mesa's board. Once the deal is finalized, Republic shareholders will own 88% of the new company's stock. Mesa shareholders will own between 6% and 12%, depending on certain conditions. All of Mesa's existing debt will be cleared. Both companies' boards have given the green light to this merger. It is expected to close in the late third or early fourth quarter. However, it still needs approval from the shareholders of both companies. The merger is seen as a way to better connect communities across America. It aims to create a well-capitalized, public company. This will benefit all stakeholders in the long run. The merger also highlights the importance of regional airlines in the broader aviation industry. The stock market reacted positively to the news. Mesa Air Group's shares surged over 67% to $1. 20 before the market opened. This shows investor confidence in the merger.