Great Lakes Aviation Makes Commitment to Wyoming Maintenance and Office Complex

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

GREAT LAKES AVIATION MAKES COMMITMENT TO WYOMING MAINTENANCE AND OFFICE COMPLEX

Spencer, Iowa -- May 26, 1999 -- Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLUXC) and the Cheyenne, Wyoming Airport Board today announced the signing of a lease between the two parties for facilities that will include major maintenance, operations and an office complex. The scope of company operations to be performed at this facility and its physical design continues under development. The company anticipates that final engineering and construction should allow maintenance operations to begin in late fourth quarter, 1999.

The decision to expand the company's support infrastructure in Wyoming is a reflection of the increased level of flying centered on United Airlines' Denver hub. Over the past year, Great Lakes has added United Express service between Denver and 29 cities including seven in Wyoming. As of June 1, the Denver hub operation will represent 68 percent of the company's United Express flying.

Various state entities joined with local Cheyenne efforts to develop the funding package for the Cheyenne Airport Board to build the facilities to house Great Lakes Aviation's expansion into Wyoming.

While this expansion in the western parts of the company's route structure is significant, Chicago markets continue to play a key role in Great Lakes' future plans. Chicago traffic will represent 37 percent of the company's projected revenue in the next twelve months. Although growth at O'Hare airport is currently restricted by limited slot access under the high density rule in effect at the airport, there are legislative efforts under way to provide some relief to these restrictions.

As of June 1, 1999, scheduled service will be provided at 69 airports in 14 states with a fleet of eight Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias and 40 Beechcraft 1900D regional airliners. A total of 322 weekday flights are offered at its three hubs with 86 flights at Chicago-O'Hare, 218 at Denver and 18 at Minneapolis-St. Paul. In addition, the company operates 8 weekday flights between Springfield, IL and Chicago-Meigs Field. All flights are operated under the United Express marketing identity.

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