SEATTLE - May 1, 1997 - For the third year in a row, Business Consumer Guide has recommended Airborne Express as a top choice for overnight and next afternoon shipment of letters and small packages anywhere in the U.S.

The independent study of major shippers was conducted by Beacon Research Group, Inc., of Watertown, Massachusetts - an organization established to provide business decision makers with credible information on goods, services and operations. Results are published in Business Consumer Guide, which ensures accuracy and avoids bias with a strict policy against accepting advertising, free products or services.

In its latest study, the guide recommends Airborne for a wide range of shipping options, including next morning and next afternoon delivery of packages weighing up to one pound, anywhere in the country. It also recommends Airborne for both shorter-distance shipment (up to 150 miles) of packages weighing under two pounds, and longer-distance shipment (over 300 miles) of packages weighing up to seven pounds.

Other shipment categories in which the guide cites Airborne as its top choice included overnight letters and small packages to Canada, and second day delivery of longer-distance shipments (over 1,000 miles) weighing up to 12 pounds within the U.S.

"It’s very gratifying to have such a respected, independent group confirm through empirical analysis what our customers often tell us - Airborne’s reliability and low cost make it a top choice for the business shipper," said Kent Freudenberger, Airborne executive vice-president. "For those already familiar with our flexible, ‘customer intimate’ approach to doing business, this report verifies Airborne’s bottom-line value. And for those who haven’t discovered us yet, it provides some solid evidence on selecting a shipping partner."

To further ensure accuracy and credibility, the Business Consumer Guide prohibits excerpting of its reports. It does, however, permit distribution of reports in their entirety. Reprints of the Guide’s 1997 report on overnight delivery services are available, free of charge, by writing to Reis & Associates, Inc., 100 West Harrison Street, South Tower, Suite 510, Seattle, WA 98119, or by sending your E-mail request to [email protected].

For more than 50 years, Airborne Express has served shipping needs of business customers around the world. Today, Airborne offers total distribution solutions by providing time-sensitive delivery of documents, letters, small packages and freight to virtually every U.S. ZIP code and more than 200 countries. Customers can select from a variety of services including same-day, next-morning, next-afternoon or second-day delivery, ocean service and logistics management.