MIDWEST EXPRESS HOLDING REPORTS STRONG PERFORMANCE FOR TRAFFIC AND CAPACITY

Source: Midwest Express Holdings, Inc.

July 15, 1999
MILWAUKEE /PRNewswire/ -- Midwest Express Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MEH) Monday reported June traffic data for its Midwest Express Airlines and Skyway Airlines operations. Strong demand for air travel in June drove performance systemwide, with 28% increases in both traffic and capacity at Midwest Express resulting in a load factor of 72%.

Midwest Express Airlines

Midwest Express Airlines' revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased 27.9% in June 1999 to 188.5 million from 147.4 million in June 1998. Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 28.4% to 261.5 million from 203.7 million ASMs a yearago. Load factor was 72.1% in June, compared with 72.4% a year earlier.Passengers boarded increased 23.9% to 212,927 from 171,843 in the same month last year.

For the second quarter of 1999, RPMs increased 25.3% to 517.1 million from 412.6 million in the same period of 1998. ASMs in the quarter increased 25.1% to 761.8 million from 609.0 million in the same quarter a year ago. Load factor for the quarter was 67.9%, compared with 67.8% last year. Passengers boarded for the second quarter of 1999 rose 20.9% to 581,194 from 480,805 in 1998.

For the first half of 1999, Midwest Express reported a 23.5% increase in RPMs to 944.5 million from 764.5 million in the first six months of 1998. ASMs increased 22.8% to 1.5 billion from 1.2 billion in the same period a year ago. Load factor for the first half was 64.4%, compared with 64.0% last year. Passenger boardings were up 19.7% in the first six months of 1999 to 1,052,491 from 879,175 in the comparable period last year.

Skyway Airlines

During June, Skyway Airlines, The Midwest Express Connection, recorded a7.8% increase in RPMs to 7.7 million from 7.1 million in June last year. ASMs increased 0.7% to 14.0 million from 13.9 million in the same month a year earlier. Load factor for June was 54.8%, compared with 51.2% in 1998. Passengers boarded increased 8.4% to 35,361 from 32,606 a year ago.
For the second quarter, RPMs increased 8.2% to 21.3 million from 19.7 million in the same period of 1998. ASMs increased 1.2% to 41.3 million from 40.8 million in the same quarter a year ago. Load factor was 51.7%, compared with 48.3% last year. Passenger boardings for the second quarter of 1999 were 97,874, up 8.8% from 89,942 in the same quarter of 1998.
For the first six months of 1999, Skyway Airlines posted a 9.2% increase in RPMs to 39.5 million from 36.1 million in 1998. Skyway's ASMs were 80.4 million, up 0.1% from 80.3 million a year ago. Load factor was 49.1%, compared with 45.0% in 1998. Skyway boarded 181,616 passengers during the first six months of 1999, up 10.4% from 164,492 passengers boarded a year earlier.

Midwest Express Holdings, Inc. is the holding company for Midwest Express Airlines, a premium-service airline headquartered in Milwaukee. Catering primarily to business travelers since taking to the skies in 1984, the airline known as "the best care in the air" has earned its reputation providing passengers with personal attention, two-across wide leather seats, fine food served on china with complimentary wine or champagne, and baked-onboard chocolate chip cookies on luncheon flights -- all at competitive fares. Conde Nast Traveler, Travel Leisure and the Zagat Airline Survey recognize Midwest Express as the best airline in the United States, and Aviation Week Space Technology has honored Midwest Express as the world's best managed national airline.

Midwest Express Airlines features primarily nonstop service to major destinations throughout the United States and Toronto from Milwaukee; Omaha, Nebraska; and Kansas City, Missouri. Astral Aviation, Inc. -- its wholly owned subsidiary -- operates Skyway Airlines, The Midwest Express Connection, which offers connections to Midwest Express jet service and point-to-point service between select markets. Together, the airlines fly to 45 cities. More information is available at www.midwestexpress.com .

MIDWEST EXPRESS HOLDINGS, INC.
TRAFFIC STATISTICS

Monthly Results *
June

1999

1998

% Change

Passengers Boarded:
Midwest Express Airlines

212,927

171,843

23.9%

Skyway Airlines

35,361

32,606

8.4%

RPMs:
Midwest Express Airlines

188,543,906

147,392,500

27.9%

Skyway Airlines

7,681,824

7,129,231

7.8%

ASMs:
Midwest Express Airlines

261,503,480

203,708,456

28.4%

Skyway Airlines

14,029,449

13,932,154

0.7%

Load Factor:
Midwest Express Airlines

72.1%

72.4%

-0.3 pts.

Skyway Airlines

54.8%

51.2%

3.6 pts.

 
Quarterly Results *
Second Quarter Ended June

1999

1998

% Change

Passengers Boarded:
Midwest Express Airlines

581,194

480,805

20.9%

Skyway Airlines

97,874

89,942

8.8%

RPMs:
Midwest Express Airlines

517,112,055

412,623,521

25.3%

Skyway Airlines

21,328,570

19,706,653

8.2%

ASMs:
Midwest Express Airlines

761,801,544

609,009,424

25.1%

Skyway Airlines

41,283,179

40,790,074

1.2%

Load Factor:
Midwest Express Airlines

67.9%

67.8%

0.1 pts.

Skyway Airlines

51.7%

48.3%

3.4 pts.

 
Year-to-Date Results *
Six Months Ended June

1999

1998

% Change

Passengers Boarded:
Midwest Express Airlines

1,052,491

879,175

19.7%

Skyway Airlines

181,616

164,492

10.4%

RPMs:
Midwest Express Airlines

944,460,907

764,479,559

23.5%

Skyway Airlines

39,469,934

36,140,197

9.2%

ASMs:
Midwest Express Airlines

1,467,037,044

1,194,794,992

22.8%

Skyway Airlines

80,361,565

80,309,940

0.1%

Load Factor:
Midwest Express Airlines

64.4%

64.0%

0.4 pts.

Skyway Airlines

49.1%

45.0%

4.1 pts.

* Scheduled Service Operations

-0- 07/12/99
/CONTACT: Media Inquiries, Lisa Bailey, 414-570-3649, or Analyst-Investor Inquiries, Dennis O'Reilly, 414-570-3954, both of Midwest Express Holdings, Inc./
/Web site: http://www.midwestexpress.com/
(MEH)

CO: Midwest Express Holdings, Inc.ST: WisconsinIN: AIRSU:

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