America West Airlines (NYSE: AWA) today
said it is in full compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations, and that it
intends to contest proposed civil penalties announced today by the
Federal Aviation Administration for alleged maintenance violations dating back
to 1997.

“These proposed penalties are the result of actions that took place prior
to America West`s Operations Improvement Plan in the summer of 2000,” said
Jeffrey McClelland, executive vice president of operations.  “Since that time,
America West has worked closely with the FAA to ensure full compliance with
Federal Aviation Regulations, and we are quite pleased with the results and
our well-publicized operational turnaround.”
 
In August 2000, America West launched its Operational Improvement Plan
designed to restore the reliability of airline operations.  The plan,
implemented in close concert with the FAA, included significant investment in
maintenance infrastructure and preventative maintenance.  Widespread
improvements have been achieved in America West`s reliability and customer
service as a result of these efforts.  Since August 2000, the airline`s flight
cancellations have improved by 70 percent, and on-time performance has
improved by 16 percent.  As a result of these and other service enhancements,
load factors on America West consistently exceed industry average, and
consumer complaints recorded by the Department of Transportation have
decreased 55 percent.

America West has 15 days from the time it receives the FAA`s civil penalty
letters to respond.

“We plan to contest the proposed amounts because we believe them to be
inconsistent with the actual violations and the cooperative manner in which
they were disclosed,” added McClelland.  “However, we expect the eventual
resolution to be amicable as we are anxious to finally close this chapter of
our past.  Today America West meets the highest standards of regulatory
compliance, and we are committed to maintaining our industry leading safety
record.”

——-