July 12, 2001

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD

Cooling Off Period Begins for Air Wisconsin and ALPA

The National Mediation Board announced today that the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) rejected the NMB's offer of arbitration to resolve the contract dispute between Air Wisconsin and the pilots, represented by ALPA. On July 12, the NMB notified Air Wisconsin and ALPA that a 30 day cooling off period will begin on July 13, 2001. The 30 day cooling off period requires the parties to refrain from any self help action until 12:01 a.m. on August 12, 2001.

Both ALPA and Air Wisconsin have expressed a strong commitment to exert every effort to reach a negotiated settlement without any work stoppage and will cooperate fully in continuing talks to seek solutions to the issues which remain in dispute. The NMB anticipates scheduling public interest meetings before the end of the cooling off period and remains in communication with the parties.