January 11, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Contact: NMB Public Information Line -- (202) 692-5050

Re: Mesaba Airlines and ALPA Reach Tentative Agreement

Washington, D.C. -- The National Mediation Board is pleased to announce that Mesaba Airlines and its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) reached a tentative contract agreement on Sunday, January 11, 2004. During public interest meetings, mediation was guided by NMB Mediators Rich Frey and Terri Brown, Deputy Chief of Staff Larry Gibbons, and NMB Chairman Edward Fitzmaurice. The agreement averted a potential strike that could have occurred at the end of the thirty day cooling off period that expired at 11:01 p.m., Central Time, on January 9.

The agreement is subject to union member ratification. Specific information regarding the contract or its provisions should be obtained directly from the parties.

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