Airline stocks endured a miserable 2020 due to the pandemic, but Mesa is not a typical airline. The company operates small planes under contracts with larger partners. In Mesa's case, that means it flies primarily for American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL), United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ: UAL), and Deutsche Post (OTC: DPSGY) DHL. The fee-for-service model has helped insulate Mesa from some of the losses its larger partners have faced during the pandemic. Mesa last week surprised investors with a fiscal first-quarter profit that exceeded expectations, causing the stock to gain altitude.