Atlas Air announces new president - Mickey Foret.

GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 1996--Atlas Air Inc. announced today that it has appointed Mickey P. Foret as its president, effective as of June 1.

Foret will also stand for election to the company's board of directors at the Atlas Air annual meeting of shareholders to be held June 4 in Denver.

Foret will be joining Atlas Air from Northwest Airlines, where he serves as its executive vice president and chief financial officer. He has been with Northwest since the end of 1992.

Michael A. Chowdry, chairman and chief executive officer of Atlas Air, said: "We are exceptionally pleased to have an executive of Mickey's caliber join Atlas. He has had a most distinguished career in the airline industry, spanning over 22 years. Indeed, his valuable experience has come from very responsible positions at some of the most demanding firms in the industry. Along the way, he has established himself as among the best in the business at what he does.

"The management and leadership skills that Mickey has demonstrated are precisely what we need as we further expand our operations," Chowdry continued. "We will be adding another 10 747-200 aircraft to our fleet over the next 18 months, over and above the 14 747s we are flying today. Growth of that magnitude brings with it the need for additional operational depth and discipline. We will be looking to Mickey to provide not only the vision, but the operational management to successfully guide us through this next stage of our development."

Prior to joining Northwest, Foret served in various executive positions, including chief executive officer of KLH Computer Inc., president and chief operating officer and executive vice president-financing and planning at Continental Airlines Inc. and chairman and chief executive officer of Chelsea Catering Inc. Foret also served in numerous other executive positions with Texas International Airlines, Continental Airlines and Eastern Airlines. Foret currently serves as a director on the boards of WORLDSPAN and Nor Am Energy Corp.

Foret, 50, a native of New Orleans, holds and B.S. and M.B.A. from Louisiana State University. Foret and his wife, Mary Ann, will reside in Denver.

Atlas Air is a United States-certificated air carrier that operates a fleet of 13 747-200 freighters and one 747-100 freighter. Atlas operates its fleet under long-term contracts with some of the world's leading air carriers, including British Airways, China Airlines, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, Swissair, and Varig, serving 52 cities in 25 countries.

Atlas Air trades on NASDAQ under the symbol ATLS.

CONTACT: Atlas Air Inc., Golden

Richard Shuyler, 303/526-5050