I-ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. imemezele namuhla ukuthi, ngenkathi isaqhubeka nokuhlola zonke izindlela zayo, isingene esivumelwaneni esisha sokuthenga umthamo weminyaka eyisikhombisa ne-Continental Airlines, Inc. Isivumelwano esisha, esizoqala ukusebenza ngomhla lu-1 kuJulayi 2008, izovumela i-ExpressJet ukuthi iqhubeke nokundizisa indiza engu-205 endiza njengamanje ye-Continental ngekusasa elibonakalayo kuyilapho ihlinzeka i-Continental ilungelo ngemva konyaka owodwa lokuhoxa izindiza ezifinyelela kweziyi-15.
Isivumelwano esisha sishintsha ngokuphawulekayo amalungelo okuphatha e-Continental ngaphansi kwesivumelwano sokuqala, okuhlanganisa ukunciphisa imingcele yokulawula ushintsho ku-ExpressJet, ukunciphisa imingcele yokuthi i-ExpressJet indize ezikhumulweni zezindiza ze-Continental, futhi sisuse isigatshana sezwe esithandwa kakhulu, sivumela i-ExpressJet ukuthi iphishekele ukuhamba ngendiza. kwabanye abathwali kanye nokucabangela ezinye izindlela zamasu. Isivumelwano esisha siphinde sisuse ikhono le-Continental lokunqamula isivumelwano ngaphandle kwesizathu.
Isivumelwano esisha sisekelwe emazingeni amisiwe amisiwe ahlanganisa izindleko ezihlukahlukene zokudlula, njengokuqasha indiza, uphethiloli, ukuphatha indawo esikhumulweni sezindiza kanye nezindleko zokufika. Izilinganiso zehora lokuvimba ezigxilile ziphansi kakhulu kunamazinga angaphansi kwesivumelwano samanje futhi zizoba ngaphansi kokulungiswa konyaka okuhambisana nenkomba yamanani omthengi. Le nkampani ihlose ukubuyela e-Continental izindiza ezifika kwezingama-39 ezikhishwe ngaphambilini esivumelwaneni sokuqala sokuthenga umthamo kanye nokunciphisa kanzima izindleko ezinyangeni ezizayo ukuphendula isivumelwano esisha ne-Continental kanye nobunzima bezomnotho obubhekene nayo yonke imboni yezindiza.
“Siyayibona inselelo yezimboni ezibhekene nazo zonke izinkampani zezindiza futhi sidinga ukusabela ngokushesha kulesi simo esiwohlokayo,” kusho uJim Ream, uMongameli we-ExpressJet kanye neSikhulu Esiphezulu. “Nakuba lesi sivumelwano esisha ne-Continental sinciphisa ukungaqiniseki mayelana nengqikithi yenkampani yethu, ngokuqinisekile sibonisa indawo yokusebenza yamanje kanye nokuvela kobudlelwano phakathi kwezinkampani zezindiza ezinkulu nezesifunda. Sesikushilo lokho, siyajabula ukuthola ithuba lokuqhubeka nokuhlinzeka isevisi engaphazamiseki, engenazihibe ku-Continental nakumakhasimende ayo.”
Le nkampani izogcina izindiza ezingu-30 ezikhishwe ngaphambilini esivumelwaneni samanje samaqembu ngamanani ancishisiwe okuqashwa ukuze zisetshenziswe njengoba ibona kufanele.
I-ExpressJet kanye ne-Continental baphinde bangena esivumelwaneni sokuxazulula kanye nokukhululwa kwazo zonke izimangalo zezinhlangothi ezihlobene nezinkokhelo ngaphansi kwesivumelwano sokuqala sokuthenga umthamo, okuhlanganisa zonke izingxabano ezadalulwa ngaphambili njengezindaba ezingase zixazululwe.
Njengoba kwamenyezelwa ngaphambilini, inkampani ifake isitatimende sommeleli sokuqala somhlangano okhethekile wabanikazi bamasheya ozoba ngoJuni 30, 2008 ukuze kugunyazwe ukukhishwa okungenzeka kwamasheya engeziwe esitoko sayo esivamile mayelana nesibopho sayo sokuthenga kabusha sango-August 1 ngaphansi kwamanothi ayo aguquguqukayo. , kanye nokuchitshiyelwa kusitifiketi sayo sokwesekwa okwandisa inani eligunyaziwe lamasheya esitoko esivamile. Inkampani iyaqhubeka nokusebenza nabeluleki bayo bezezimali kwa-Goldman, Sachs & Co. futhi ihlose ukungena ezingxoxweni nabaphathi abathile bamanothi aguqulekayo ukuze kutholwe isisombululo esivumelanayo esibophweni sokuthenga kabusha.
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- The company intends to return to Continental up to 39 aircraft previously released from the original capacity purchase agreement and to aggressively reduce costs in the coming months in response to the new agreement with Continental and the economic difficulties facing the entire airline industry.
- As previously announced, the company has filed a preliminary proxy statement for a special meeting of stockholders to be held on June 30, 2008 to approve the potential issuance of additional shares of its common stock in connection with its August 1 repurchase obligation under its convertible notes, as well as an amendment to its certificate of incorporation increasing the authorized number of shares of common stock.
- The new agreement significantly changes Continental’s governance rights under the original agreement, including easing change-in-control limitations on ExpressJet, reducing restrictions on ExpressJet flying into Continental’s hub airports, and removing the most-favored-nation clause, allowing ExpressJet to actively pursue flying for other carriers and to consider other strategic alternatives.
