Mesaba, Flight Attendants Reach Deal

Mesaba Aviation Inc. and the union that represents its flight attendants reached a tentative agreement on labor concessions on Sunday, one day after doing the same with its pilots, said the airline, which is in bankruptcy protection.

On Saturday, the airline and its pilots agreed on concessions, five days after a bankruptcy judge blocked a potential strike by pilots, flight attendants and mechanics at the regional carrier, based in suburban Eagan.

That leaves only the mechanics who have yet to work out a deal.

"Reaching a second consensual agreement in just as many days builds on the progress we have already made in our plan to emerge successfully from restructuring," Mesaba President and COO John Spanjers said in a statement released by the airline.

If a deal had not been reached, Mesaba had the authority from the judge to impose labor cost cuts of 17.5 percent.

Details of the agreement were not immediately released. Flight attendants have the right to accept or reject it.

The Associated Press left a phone message with Association of Flight Attendants' spokeswoman Carla Rogat seeking comment.

Mesaba, a feeder for Northwest Airlines Corp. that serves 88 cities in the U.S. and Canada, has faced pressure to reduce its operating costs. Mesaba is in a bidding war with other regional airlines to secure flying business from Northwest and other airlines.

Mesaba filed for bankruptcy protection a year ago after Northwest skipped some payments.

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