[Press Release] : Mesa Air Group will serve Columbia Regional Airport

[pr-l at news.gocolumbiamo.com]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Kathy Frerking, Columbia Regional Airport Manager - (573)
442-9770

Mesa Air Group will serve Columbia Regional Airport

COLUMBIA, MO (June 21, 2006) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) today issued an order selecting Mesa Air Group Inc., on behalf of
its subsidiary Air Midwest Inc. (d/b/a US Airways Express), to provide
essential air service through Columbia Regional Airport. Mesa will
provide 12 nonstop round-trips to St. Louis and 12 nonstop round-trips
to Kansas City per week for a two-year period at a subsidy of $598,751
annually.

The order states that DOT expects Mesa/Air Midwest and Trans States,
the current commercial carrier serving Columbia Regional Airport as
American Connections, to coordinate the transition in essential air
service responsibilities. Mesa indicated to the DOT that they expect to
be able to start serving the airport approximately 60 - 90 days after
selection. 

The DOT order also states, "In particular, we expect Trans States to
contact all travelers holding reservations for flights that it intends
to suspend, to inform them of the suspension and the availability of Air
Midwest's replacement service, and to secure alternate air
transportation for such travelers or to provide them with a refund of
their ticket price, without penalty, if requested." 

Regional Airport Manager Kathy Frerking is preparing for the
transition. "This essential air service order provides us the
opportunity to formalize arrangements directly with the commercial air
line. We hope to have a service transition date determined in the very
near future."

City Manager Bill Watkins said that representatives from city staff
plan to meet with Mesa Air Group officials as early as next week to
finalize the details of the transition. "I'm looking forward to
working with Mesa Air Group to add value to the airport. All of us in
this region, including travelers in Jefferson City, have high
expectations for the future, and Mesa can certainly contribute to that
goal."

Located 12 miles south of Interstate 70 on U.S. Highway 63, Columbia
Regional Airport has provided reliable, convenient commercial and
general aviation services to central Missouri since 1968.

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