May 31, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Cooling Off Period Begins for American Airlines and APFA

The National Mediation Board announced today that the Association of Professional Flight Attendants(APFA) rejected the NMB's offer of arbitration to resolve the contract dispute between American Airlines and the Flight Attendants represented by APFA. On May 31, 2001, the NMB notified American Airlines and APFA that a 30 day cooling off period will begin on June 1, 2001. The 30 day cooling off period requires the parties to refrain from any self help action until 12:01 a.m. on July 1.

The NMB has scheduled meetings between the parties beginning June 5th, 2001.

Both APFA and American Airlines have expressed a strong commitment to exert every effort to reach a negotiated settlement without any work stoppage and will cooperate fully in continuing mediated talks to seek solutions to the issues which remain in dispute.