Atlantic Coast Airlines and Bombardier Aerospace Agree On Revised Delivery Schedule for RJs

Atlantic Coast Airlines, the Dulles, VA-based United Express and Delta Connection regional carrier (ACA) has announced that it has agreed with Bombardier Aerospace on a revised schedule for its remaining CRJ-200 aircraft originally scheduled to be delivered through April 2004 for its United Express program. The new schedule is as follows:

• 6 will be delivered immediately
• 2 will be delivered during the fourth quarter 2003
• 6 will be delivered during the fourth quarter 2004
• 28 will be delivered in 2005

Financing has been arranged for the eight aircraft to be delivered in 2003 using a mix of traditional and non-traditional financing sources. ACA anticipates that it will be the equity owner of at least six of these aircraft. The arrangement with Bombardier also provides ACA with further flexibility with respect to the aircraft now scheduled for delivery after 2003, dependent on its reaching a satisfactory arrangement with United Airlines. The company anticipates that it will remove six of its J-41 turboprop aircraft from its United Express service in the coming months.

ACA operates as United Express and Delta Connection in the Eastern and Midwestern United States as well as Canada. The company has a fleet of 142 aircraft -- including a total of 112 regional jets -- and offers over 825 daily departures, serving 84 destinations. Atlantic Coast Airlines employs over 4,800 aviation professionals.

FMI: www.atlanticcoast.com, www.bombardier.com