Story ID: 
Mesa Answers US Air Distress Calls
By: Gregory Polek
Caption: Mesa Air Group has cut salaries among its senior management by 23 percent; the company will credit the proceeds to US Airways in support of the major airli
Word Count: 142
Mesa Air Group has cut salaries among its senior management by 23 percent; the company will credit the proceeds to US Airways in support of the major airline’s restructuring efforts. Mesa has also asked its US Airways Express employees to voluntarily agree to defer up to 23 percent of their salaries. US Airways has agreed to repay all the deferrals upon its emergence from bankruptcy protection. Mesa has also offered a bonus of 20 percent of the deferral for any employee who agrees to participate.A US Airways Express partner since 1991, Mesa depends on the Arlington, Va.-based major for 43 percent of its revenues. If US Airways fails to emerge from bankruptcy intact, Mesa would find itself left with 67 orphaned Embraer and Bombardier regional jets, forcing it either to fly them under its own colors, redeploy them with other partners or ground them indefinitely.