Go! (airline)

Regional carrier Mesa Airlines started Go!'s inter-island operations on June 9, 2006, using five Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jet aircraft.

In September 2006, the airline announced that it had reached an agreement with Mokulele Airlines, whereby Mokulele would operate Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft to Kapalua, Molokai, and Lanai under the name Go!Express. Service began with flights from Kapalua to Honolulu, Kahului, and Kona on April 17, 2007.{{cite press release|title=go! and Mokulele Airlines Establish Code Share Agreement|publisher=Mesa Air Group|date=2006-09-14|accessdate=2006-10-11 |url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=78947&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=905269&highlight=}}{{cite news| title=go!Express launches | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2007/04/16/daily35.html | work=American City Business Journals | date=April 18, 2007}} Service began for flights to Molokai on July 21, 2007 and flights to Lanai on October 6, 2007. Following Mokulele's agreement with Republic Airways Holdings to have that company operate flights in Hawaii using 70-seat jets, Mesa announced that it would be terminating the Go!Express agreement with Mokulele in April 2009.{{cite news | title=Go! cuts quarterly loss for third time | url=http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/37520244.html | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | first=Dave | last=Segal | date=2009-01-13 | accessdate=2009-01-13 | archive-date=2009-07-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722154208/http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/37520244.html | url-status=dead }} The airline later accelerated plans to terminate the agreement with Mokulele, and ended the code-share on March 24, 2009, replacing it with a new agreement with Island Air that allowed Mesa to sell existing Island Air flights with the Go!Express name.{{cite news | title=Mesa ends deal with Mokulele | url=http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/41701947.html | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | first=Dave | last=Segal | date=2009-03-23 | accessdate=2009-03-23 | archive-date=2009-07-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722150035/http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/41701947.html | url-status=dead }}

On March 17, 2014, Mesa announced that Go! would cease service on April 1, 2014, with its aircraft re-deployed to support Mesa's operations on the U.S. mainland. The airline also stated that a long term increase in the cost of fuel had prevented the operation from being profitable.

In February 2006, before the airline had started flying, Hawaiian Airlines filed a complaint for injunctive relief. In its complaint, Hawaiian Airlines noted that Mesa Air Group had been a potential investor during Hawaiian's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and as such, had access to confidential business data that it alleged Mesa then used in developing Go!. Hawaiian claimed that the confidentiality agreement under which potential investors were given access to the data prohibited the use of that information to compete with Hawaiian for a period of two years.{{cite news|title=Hawaiian Airlines sues new competitor|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Feb/14/bz/FP602140319.html| accessdate=2006-06-03|last=Daysog|first=Rick|date=2006-02-14}}

In a memo explaining his decision to rule against Hawaiian's request for a preliminary injunction, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Faris wrote that e-mail made public during Hawaiian Airlines lawsuit raised "real doubts about the propriety of Mesa's conduct."{{cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2006/Oct/06/Decision.pdf|title=Memorandum of Decision on Motion for Preliminary Injunction|accessdate=2006-10-10|date=2006-10-05|last=Faris|first=Robert}}

In March 2006, Mesa filed a counter suit, claiming that Hawaiian was violating antitrust law by trying to keep Mesa out of Hawaii, using legal maneuvers to prevent Mesa from offering fares below the prevailing fares offered by Hawaiian. Mesa also alleged that Hawaiian had coerced two freight forwarders into refusing parts and equipment Mesa wanted to ship to Hawaii for the new airline.{{cite news|title=Mesa countersues Hawaiian Air|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|url=http://starbulletin.com/2006/03/17/business/story01.html|accessdate=2006-06-05|last=Segal |first=Dave|date=2006-03-17}} Faris dismissed the counter suit on December 8, 2006, and at that time set an opening trial date on September 25, 2007.{{cite news | title=Judge throws out Mesa countersuit | work=American City Business Journals | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2006/12/04/daily64.html | date=December 8, 2006}}

In October 2006, Aloha Airlines parent Aloha Airgroup filed a lawsuit similar to Hawaiian's, claiming that Mesa received confidential information during Aloha's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and improperly used it to enter the Hawaii inter-island market with the intent of driving Aloha out of business.{{cite press release|title=Aloha Airlines Sues Mesa Air Group for Misuse of Confidential Information |publisher=Aloha Airgroup |date=2006-10-13 |accessdate=2006-10-13 |url=http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061013/laf061.html?.v=1 }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On March 20, 2008, Aloha Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Citing record high fuel prices and inter-island competition with Go!, it ceased passenger operation 11 days later.

As the trial date approached, it became known that Mesa's chief financial officer, George "Peter" Murnane III, had e-mailed an acquaintance about a week after Hawaiian filed suit, first asking for information about how to delete files in such a way that they could not be discovered, then confirming that the files in question were deleted.{{cite news|author=Rick Daysog|title=Deleted files at heart of Hawaiian v. Mesa trial|work=Honolulu Advertiser|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/23/bz/hawaii709230339.html|date=2007-09-23|accessdate=2007-09-28}} Mesa placed Murnane on paid administrative leave on September 22, 2007.{{cite news|title=Key Mesa figure put on leave|work=Honolulu Advertiser|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Sep/22/bz/hawaii709220320.html|date=2007-09-22|accessdate=2007-09-28}} Hawaiian contended that Murnane deleted the files maliciously in an attempt to destroy evidence that would show that Mesa improperly used confidential data. Mesa contended that Murnane accidentally deleted the files in question in an attempt to remove pornographic material from his computer.{{cite news|author=Rick Daysog|title=Mesa says key Hawaii files deleted in purge|work=Honolulu Advertiser|url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007709260410|date=2007-09-24|accessdate=2007-09-28}}

On September 27, in a pretrial hearing, Faris preliminarily ruled that Mesa had misused confidential information in setting up Go!, and failed to return or destroy confidential data acquired during the bankruptcy proceedings. "The misuse was a substantial factor in Mesa's decision on entering the Hawaii market," said Faris.{{cite news|author=Rick Daysog|title=Judge says Hawaiian Air rival misused data|work=Honolulu Advertiser|url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007709280383|date=2007-09-28|accessdate=2007-09-28}} Faris, however, deferred any decision on damages pending the outcome of the trial, saying it still needed to be decided whether the information existed in the public domain.{{cite news|author=Dave Segal|title=Mesa came to isles via Hawaiian's data|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|url=http://starbulletin.com/2007/09/28/news/story01.html|date=2007-09-28|accessdate=2007-09-28}} Following the hearing which lasted from September 28 to October 4, Faris ruled on October 30 that Mesa had misused the confidential information and ordered Mesa to pay Hawaiian $80 million, while rejecting Hawaiian's request to bar Go! from selling tickets for one year.{{cite news | title=Mesa ordered to pay Hawaiian Air $80M | url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Oct/30/br/br1698025437.html | first=Rick | last=Daysog | work=The Honolulu Advertiser | date=2007-10-30 | accessdate=2007-10-30}} Following the ruling, Mesa requested a retrial claiming it had recovered the previously lost evidence on a third hard drive. On December 13, Faris denied the request on the basis that new evidence would likely not change the outcome of the trial, and the airline planned to proceed with its appeal of the decision to US District Court.{{cite news | title=Judge denies Mesa retrial | url=http://starbulletin.com/2007/12/14/business/story01.html | date=2007-12-14 | accessdate=2007-12-14 | first=Kristen | last=Consillio | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin}} On April 30, 2008, the two airlines announced a settlement had been reached whereby Mesa would withdraw its appeal of the judgment and would pay Hawaiian $52.5 million.{{cite news | title=Hawaiian settles Mesa lawsuit for $52.5M | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/04/28/daily34.html | work=American City Business Journals | date=April 30, 2008}}

On November 28, 2008, Go!'s parent company, Mesa Air Group, announced that it had reached an agreement with Yucaipa Cos., the former majority holder of Aloha Airlines, to settle Aloha's lawsuit. Among the terms of the agreement was that Yucaipa would license the Aloha Airlines name to Mesa, which would rebrand the Go! operation as Aloha Airlines.{{cite news | url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008811290353 | title=Aloha Airlines name may return to Hawaii skies in Mesa deal | work=The Honolulu Advertiser | first=Andrew | last=Gomes | date=2008-11-29 | accessdate=2008-12-04}} While Yucaipa was the successful high bidder for the rights to Aloha's name, bankruptcy judge Lloyd King temporarily blocked the deal and postponed a hearing on the deal until February 19, in order to give supporters and opponents time to respond.{{cite news | url=http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20081204_No_Aloha_for_go.html | title=No Aloha for go! | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | first=David | last=Segal | date=2008-12-04 | accessdate=2008-12-04}} On March 3, 2009, bankruptcy judge Lloyd King blocked the sale of Aloha's name and brand on the grounds that the auction was not public and must be reheld.{{cite news | url=http://www.starbulletin.com/news/breaking/40667923.html | title=Judge invalidates Yucaipa purchase of Aloha name | first=Dave | last=Segal | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | date=2009-03-03 | accessdate=2009-03-03}} On May 14, 2009, he blocked Mesa from rebranding Go! as Aloha.{{cite news | title=No 'Aloha' for go! | url=http://www.starbulletin.com/business/20090516_No_Aloha_for_go.html | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | first=David | last=Segal | date=2009-05-16 | accessdate=2009-05-16}}

In October 2009, Mesa Air Group and Republic Airways Holdings merged their competing subsidiaries, Go! and Mokulele Airlines, into a joint venture, go! Mokulele. Mesa's CRJ-200 aircraft continued to operate jet service, supplemented by Mokulele's Cessna 208 Grand Caravan turboprop aircraft. Embraer 170 aircraft, operated on behalf of Mokulele by Republic subsidiary Shuttle America, were removed from Hawaii service. Mesa maintained a 75% stake in the joint venture, with Republic holding the remaining 25%."[http://atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=18191 Mesa's go!, Republic's Mokulele form Hawaiian joint venture]." ATW Daily News. Thursday October 15, 2009. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.

Mokulele aircraft remained on the Mokulele operating certificate, while the go! Mokulele aircraft remained on the Mesa Airlines operating certificate.

During the concluding months of 2011 it was announced the complete divestiture of the Mokulele Airlines turboprop operations from Mesa Air Group's joint venture with Republic Airways Holdings. In June 2012, Mesa began the process of dropping the "go! Mokulele" name and reverting to "go!".{{cite news | title=Airline's parent sheds less-than-sleek name and returns to 'go!' | first=Dave | last=Segal | newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser | date=June 21, 2012 | url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/businesspremium/20120621__Airlines_parent_sheds_lessthansleek_name_and_returns_to_go.html}}

The Federal Aviation Administration opened an investigation into whether two Go! pilots fell asleep during a 36-minute flight between Honolulu and Hilo. Flight 1002 on February 13, 2008, overshot Hilo Airport by {{convert|30|miles|nmi km}},{{cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2009/Aug/04/ln/hawaii908040329.html|title=NTSB confirms pilots fell asleep - The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper|publisher=|accessdate=22 September 2016}} remaining {{convert|21,000|feet|0}} in the air as it missed the destination. Air traffic controllers were unable to reach the two pilots for 25 minutes, after which contact was re-established and the aircraft returned for a safe landing in Hilo. The pilots were later fired over the incident.{{cite news | title=FAA probing whether go! pilots fell asleep on flight | url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080219/BREAKING03/80219050 | date=2008-02-19 | first=Rick | last=Daysog | work=Honolulu Advertiser | access-date=2008-02-20 | archive-date=2012-07-03 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120703022909/http://www.staradvertiser.com/?AID=/20080219/BREAKING03/80219050 | url-status=dead }}{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-04-25-go-pilot-ap_N.htm | title=Airline fires 2 pilots who overshot Hawaii runway | newspaper=USA Today | agency=Associated Press | date=2008-04-24 | accessdate=2010-09-26}} On September 24, 2008 the FAA announced that the licenses of both pilots had been suspended. The Captain had his suspended for 60 days, while the First Officer had his suspended for 45 days. No action was taken against Go! because sufficient rest was provided for both crew members prior to the flight. During the investigations, however, it was found that the Captain in fact suffered from a sleep disorder known as severe obstructive sleep apnea. This is a condition that causes a person to stop breathing intermittently during sleep, thus preventing a full night's rest.{{cite news | title=FAA suspends sleeping airline pilots | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna26868546 | date=2008-09-24 | access-date=2010-10-05 | work=NBC News | agency=Associated Press}}

Mesa Airlines operated flights on behalf of Go! to the following destinations:

• Hawaii
• Hilo (Hilo International Airport)
• Honolulu (Honolulu International Airport) Hub
• Kahului (Kahului Airport)
• Kona (Kona International Airport)
• Lihue (Lihue Airport)

As of October 2012, the Go! fleet consisted of the following aircraft.{{cite news | url=http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Go!-active-crj.htm|title=Go! Fleet of CRJ (Active)}}

As of October 2012, Go!'s average fleet age was 13.2 years.{{cite web|url=http://airfleets.net/ageflotte/Go!.htm|title=Fleet age Go! - Airfleets aviation|publisher=|accessdate=22 September 2016}}

The airline had delayed plans to order eight to twelve larger aircraft, either the Bombardier CRJ900 or Embraer 195, to replace the CRJ200s.{{cite news|title=Local airline battle flares anew|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|url=http://starbulletin.com/2006/07/15/news/story02.html| accessdate=2006-07-15|last=Segal|first=Dave|date=2006-07-15}}{{cite news| title=Mesa's delays plan to swap its fleet for larger aircraft | url=http://starbulletin.com/2007/01/26/business/story02.html | last=Segal | first=Dave | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | date=2007-01-26 | accessdate=2007-01-26}}

Each flight on Go! earned 500 miles in the airline's Go! Miles program. Upon accruing 5,000 miles, the participant was awarded one one-way segment on Go!.

• Go! Flight 1002 missed its airport and flew beyond for 15 minutes ({{convert|26|nmi|mi km|disp=sqbr}}) after its pilots fell asleep in the cockpit, on February 13, 2008. The Canadair CRJ-200 (tail number N651BR) was flying from Honolulu to Hilo in Hawaii.'The Aviation Herald' [http://www.avherald.com/h?article=4123f4ee&opt=3840 "Report: Mesa CRJ2 near Hilo on Feb 13th 2008, veered off course 26nm, both pilots asleep"] Simon Hradecky Wednesday, Dec 24th 2008 22:12Z (accessed 25 October 2009)

• List of defunct airlines of the United States

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Go! (airline)}}

• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100106001439/http://iflygo.com/ go!]}}

{{Portal bar|United States|Hawaii|Companies|Aviation}}

{{Mesa Air Group|state=autocollapse}}

{{Airlines of the United States}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Airlines established in 2005

Category:Airlines disestablished in 2014

Category:Defunct regional airlines of the United States

Category:Defunct companies based in Hawaii

Category:Defunct regional airline brands

Category:Mesa Air Group

Category:Transportation in Honolulu

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2010

Category:2005 establishments in Hawaii

Category:2014 disestablishments in Hawaii