Mesaba Aviation has received notification from the National Mediation Board indicating the start of a 30-day cooling-off period in the airline's contract negotiations with ALPA. If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, ALPA could call a strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. EST on Jan. 10, 2004.

"We will continue to negotiate with ALPA during the cooling-off period and we remain optimistic that we can reach an agreement that avoids a work stoppage," said John Spanjers, president and chief operating officer of Mesaba Aviation. "Our goal has remained the same since the beginning of the negotiation process: a market-based contract that positions the airline for growth and long-term viability. Our operation will continue as scheduled through early January, and we will make every effort to keep customers informed so they can plan their travel accordingly."

The two sides have been in negotiations since June 2001, and the existing contract became amendable in June 2002. At the request of both sides, the NMB began mediating the negotiations in August 2002. The NMB issued a proffer of arbitration, offering both sides the opportunity to have the remaining open issues settled by binding arbitration. ALPA rejected this offer on Monday, triggering the announcement of a cooling-off period.

Mesaba Aviation, Inc., d/b/a Mesaba Airlines, operates as a Northwest Jet Airlink and Northwest Airlink partner under service agreements with Northwest Airlines. Currently, Mesaba Aviation serves 112 cities in 30 states and Canada from Northwest's and Mesaba Aviation's three major hubs: Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Memphis. Mesaba Aviation operates a fleet of 100 regional jet and jet-prop aircraft, consisting of the 69 passenger Avro RJ85 and the 30-34 passenger Saab SF340.

FMI: www.mesaba.com, www.alpa.org