MILLION AIR CHARTER TETERBORO CHANGES ITS NAME TO “MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER”

New Name To Reflect Expanded Capabilities and Service

TETERBORO, NJ, January 11, 2004 —In what is yet another milestone in the 45-year history that led to its inception, Million Air Charter, Teterboro, has changed its name to MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER. The new name, accompanied by a bold new logo, has been chosen to better represent the company’s ever-growing capabilities, while maintaining the commitment to service that has been the cornerstone of its success.

Although the charter service had been operating in conjunction with Million Air’s Teterboro maintenance and FBO operations for over 20 years, a need was seen to separate the charter service in order to highlight its points of differentiation which include, among other things, inter-continental capacity. “While we were certainly aware of all the changes and improvements we’ve been implementing around here,” notes MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER President Dennis O’Connell, “we needed to communicate them to the most important people of all: our customers.” The new name certainly reflects the firm’s global reach: after all, a “meridian” is defined as both a circle that spans the globe—and a pinnacle of achievement. And the distinctive new logo, styled in a rich Hunter Green, features a graphic depiction of a jet plane circling the world. “That’s what we do, so that’s the image we want to project,” adds O’Connell.

While the name and the logo may be new, the commitment to constant improvement certainly isn’t. Indeed, the charter service began in 1983, and added its first jet in 1989—yet the entire Teterboro operation, which also includes its award-winning FBO, maintenance, aircraft management, sales, and even flight training, traces its roots back to 1946, and the vision of a former Army Air Corps test pilot, Ken Forester, Sr. As the operation has grown, so have its service and reputation. Today, MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER services both aviation-industry and retail clients worldwide, boasting an impressive percentage of repeat-business, and an even more impressive track-record of client referrals.

“Service is what we’re all about,” notes MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER Director of Sales and Client Services Andrew Ladouceur. “The realities of executive travel make this a very demanding business. And so we’re proud of the people who make this operation hum. We’re proud of the way we treat our clients: with alacrity, professionalism, and respect.” Clients whose schedules (or lack thereof!) demand immediate attention will readily appreciate MERIDIAN’s responsiveness: last-minute bookings are handled with grace; and clients can always speak to a person (never a machine), thanks to MERIDIAN’s 24-hour-a-day telephone representatives.

Certainly, an air charter business cannot operate on people alone, and MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER features a complete range of aircraft at its disposal, including helicopters; turboprops; and small, midsize, and large jets. From the economical King Air 90 through Lears, Citations, Hawkers, and no-holds-barred Gulfstream IV business jets, MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER can deliver the aircraft that clients need, when needed, and where needed. The company now offers trans-Atlantic service, complete with berthing capabilities; even more services are on the drawing-board for the near future.

MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER maintains a perfect safety record, and adheres to the highest standards possible for its maintenance and flight crews. Charters are handled with the consummate professionalism that clients expect and deserve; with its headquarters a mere seven miles from downtown Manhattan, MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER plays host to many corporate executives and dignitaries who demand no less.

What, then, is on the horizon for MERIDIAN AIR CHARTER, now that its new name is here? Dennis O’Connell will only hint: “Some things are big, others are more subtle. But some things, like our service, will never change. That’s what got us to where we are today.”