NEW AIRLINE OFFERING TRANS WORLD EXPRESS SERVICE

An Smyrna, Tenn.-based commuter airline has assumed contracts with Trans World Airlines to provide flights to TWA's hub at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

Corporate Airlines Inc. is now offering non-stop service between St. Louis and five former Trans World Express destinations, including Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Marion, Ill.

There was no interruption to service on TWE routes at Cape Girardeau and Fort Leonard Wood, Marion, Ill., Quincy, Ill., and Burlington, Iowa.

No major schedule changes are planned in any of the five markets.

The commuter services will continue to fly under the TWE banners, and use 19-seat Jet Stream 32 Turbo-prop planes. The only difference in the service is new paint schemes, leather seats and new interiors of the planes.

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport officially recognized the change here Thursday, at a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"We're pleased with the opportunity to work with TWA and the City of Cape Girardeau," said Corporate Airlines president Chuck Howell.

"For our customers, this will be a seamless transition with the same model of aircraft and same schedules." added Howell. "We are delighted with this new partnership that will allow us to grow the size of our fleet by at least 50 percent and expand our operations in a new part of the country."

TWA and Corporate have signed a five-year agreement for the new service, and may expand to other markets in the future. Passengers will earn and can redeem Aviators frequent flyer miles for flights on all Trans World Connections flights.

Corporate Airlines is a privately-held company with headquarters in Smyrna, TN. It began operations in December 1996 as a Part 121 airline. The airline currently flies a schedule of 64 daily roundtrips including service between Nashville and Atlanta, and between Raleigh-Durham and eight destinations. The company's current fleet includes 15 J-32 aircraft.