Great Lakes aquires B1900D aircraft from Mesa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dick Fontaine
Senior VP- Marketing
(712)264-3190
(712)262-1000

GREAT LAKES AVIATION TO ACQUIRE B1900D AIRCRAFT FROM MESA AIR GROUP.

Spencer, Iowa -- April 23, 1998 -- Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLUX) as previously announced, today inaugurated United Express service between Denver and 14 additional locations.

In preparation for this expansion of scheduled flying, Great Lakes Aviation has taken delivery of four Beech 1900D regional airliners from Mesa Air Group. Under the terms of an agreement in principle between Great Lakes Aviation, Mesa Air Group and Raytheon Aircraft Corporation, an additional eleven Beech 1900D's will be transferred from Mesa to Great Lakes. The positioning of the majority of these additional aircraft to Spencer, Iowa for maintenance acceptance inspections will be completed by late this afternoon.

The acquisition of these aircraft will accelerate the standardization of Great Lakes' 19-seat fleet around the Beech 1900D model which has a stand-up cabin. The remaining eleven Beech 1900C models will be phased out of scheduled passenger service in the near future.

As of today, Great Lakes Aviation is providing scheduled service at 64 airports in thirteen states with a fleet of six Embaer EMB-120 Brasilias and 33 Beechcraft 1900s. In its United Express route structure, a total of 216 weekday flights are offered at its three hubs with 104 flights at Chicago-O'Hare, 90 at Denver and 22 at Minneapolis-St. Paul.

In addition, the company continues to operate 16 weekday flights between Springfield, IL and Chicago-Meigs Field under the Great Lakes Airlines marketing identity.

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