Companies Agree to Continue Operating RJ85 Fleet

Those 4-engine Avros Regional Jets some of us have flown on -- under the Northwest Airlines livery -- are not being phased out after all.

Mesaba Aviation announced Monday that Northwest Airlines has decided not to exercise the early termination clause in the Regional Jet Services Agreement covering Mesaba's Avro RJ85 aircraft. The early termination provision has now been removed from the Jet Agreement.

Northwest and Mesaba had agreed to extend the early termination period to Feb. 29, 2004, while Northwest studied the economics of the fleet. Mesaba had removed five Avros from its fleet over the past two months, at Northwest's request. Two Avros will return to scheduled service in April 2004 and the remaining three in June 2004.

"We are pleased with Northwest's decision," said John Spanjers, president and chief operating officer of Mesaba Aviation. "This is a favorable outcome for Mesaba, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Northwest."

Mesaba Aviation, Inc., d/b/a Mesaba Airlines, operates as a Northwest Jet Airlink and Northwest Airlink partner under service agreements with Northwest Airlines. Mesaba Aviation operates a fleet of 99 regional jet and jet-prop aircraft, consisting of the 69 passenger Avro RJ85 and the 30-34 passenger Saab SF340.

FMI:  www.mesaba.com