Wednesday, May 7, 2003

World Airways to begin Afghanistan flights

Peachtree City's World Airways, Inc., announced last week that it signed a new contract with a group of U.S. and Swiss investors to provide passenger service between Washington/Dulles and Kabul, Afghanistan, via Geneva, Switzerland, as part of a consortium to reconstruct Afghanistan.

The flight program, scheduled to begin in July 2003 and contracted to operate through December 2005, is valued at $102 million.

The estimated contract value for calendar year 2003 is expected to be $19 million. This service will operate twice per week utilizing an MD-11 wide-body aircraft featuring an enhanced international business class of service.

Hollis Harris, chairman and chief executive officer of World Airways, said, "This multinational partnership combines the logistical expertise of the organizing consortium and World Airways' 55 years of international operating experience. We feel particularly privileged to have been selected by our partners, recognized leaders in international market development programs, to participate in the reconstruction of a new Afghanistan."

Kevin P. Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, stated, "This innovative offering will pro-vide more efficient, safer choices and alternatives for government and private sector travelers involved with infrastructure reconstruction and humanitarian missions in Afghanistan. Travel procurement officials will surely welcome such a development at a time when international travel options are on the decline."

Harris added, "The consummation of this contract provides two very important components to World Airways' long-term strategy: the broadening of our international commercial customer base and the op-erational and financial planning benefits of a long-term program."

Utilizing a well-maintained fleet of international range, wide-body aircraft, World Airways has an envi-able record of safety, reliability and customer service spanning more than 55 years.

The company is a U.S. certificated air carrier providing customized transportation services for major international passenger and cargo carriers, the United States military and international leisure tour operators. Recognized for its modern aircraft, flexibility and ability to provide superior service, World Airways meets the needs of businesses and governments around the globe. For more information, visit www.worldair.com.

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