MAYOR HAHN PUSHES REGIONAL AIR TRANSPORTATION PLAN; CONVINCES MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CARGO SERVICE TO COMMIT TO ONTARIO

(Taipei, Taiwan -- November 26, 2002) Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn announced today that Taiwan-based EVA Airways and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) have entered into an agreement for EVA to begin air cargo freighter operations at Ontario International Airport (ONT).

"To ensure Southern California's leading role in international trade and the economic benefits world trade brings to the region, it is important that Los Angeles World Airports prepares Ontario Airport as a major air cargo gateway to meet future cargo demands," said Mayor Hahn.

"Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) cannot bear the region's entire burden," said Lydia Kennard, executive director of LAWA. "I applaud Mayor Hahn for traveling around the globe to sell the benefits of all of our airports to better handle demand."

The Letter of Intent was signed in Taipei during Mayor Hahn's last official meeting of his 10-day trade and tourism mission to Asia.

Provisions of the agreement call for LAWA to develop and construct an international air cargo center at ONT, to EVA's specifications. EVA agreed to enter into a long-term facility lease and operating permit at ONT following LAWA's completion of the new facility. LAWA also will develop an incentive package to assist and promote EVA's start-up operations at ONT.

Mayor Hahn said world-class developers are currently preparing proposals to significantly increase cargo operations on a new, 100-acre site at ONT.

"EVA's intention to expand its Southern California cargo operations to ONT and to be the first tenant at this future facility reflects the competitive advantages Ontario enjoys over most other cargo airport alternatives in the region," Mayor Hahn said. "ONT benefits from its proximity to major railways and freeways, as well as major commercial freight trucking operations."

EVA Airways currently has 14 passenger flights and six dedicated cargo flights a week to Taipei. In 2001, EVA served 372,545 passengers on the Taipei-LAX route. During the same year, the airline transported 47,254 tons of freight and 59 tons of mail on the Taipei-LAX route. This represents 2.66 percent of LAX's total air cargo volume in 2001.

Mayor Hahn embarked on the first Asian trade and tourism mission of his administration on November 16. The mission, coordinated by the Mayor's Office of International Trade, took Mayor Hahn, city officials and business leaders to Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei.

Already Mayor Hahn has met with Korean President Kim Dae-Jung, Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, and Beijing Mayor Liu Qi. While in Beijing, Mayor Hahn secured major partnership agreements with the Beijing government making it easier for Los Angeles firms to assist Beijing in upgrading its airport, designating Los Angeles as the gateway to Beijing for the 2008 Olympics and beginning the process to bring pandas to the Los Angeles Zoo.

Mayor Hahn also announced key tourism packages to promote travel from Korea and Japan. In Tokyo, he was joined by actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii to unveil a celebrity-driven "See My LA" campaign.

Mayor Hahn is seeking to increase tourism and economic development opportunities for the City of Los Angeles by leveraging the extensive capabilities of the three proprietary departments, the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau