TRANS WORLD AIRLINES INC /NEW/
8-K, 1996-12-18
AIR TRANSPORTATION, SCHEDULED
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<PAGE>   1
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                   ---------

                                   FORM 8-K
                                       
                                CURRENT REPORT
                    PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                                       

                                   --------


      DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): DECEMBER 16, 1996


                          TRANS WORLD AIRLINES, INC.
            (Exact name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


                                   ---------

<TABLE>
<S>                                         <C>                                <C>
         DELAWARE                                  1-7815                          43-1145889
(State or other jurisdiction of             (Commission File Number             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                                                 Identification No.)
</TABLE>

                                       
                                ONE CITY CENTRE
                              515 N. SIXTH STREET
                          ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI  63101
                                (314) 589-3000


(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of
                   Registrant's principal executive offices)
<PAGE>   2
ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS


       Trans World Airlines, Inc. (the "Company" or "TWA") hereby files a
       copy of its December 16, 1996 press release with respect to interim
       executive appointments.  Such press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1
       and forms a part of this current report.
<PAGE>   3
                                  SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                      TRANS WORLD AIRLINES, INC.


Date:   December 17, 1996             By: /s/ Richard P. Magurno
                                          ------------------------
                                            Title: Senior Vice President and
                                            General Counsel

<PAGE>   4
                                EXHIBIT INDEX


    Exhibit 99.1   Press Release Regarding Interim Executive Appointments.




<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1


NEWS FROM
TWA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       CONTACT: John McDonald
                                                     (314) 589-3214


                  TWA ANNOUNCES INTERIM EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT


     ST. LOUIS, December 16, 1996 -- The Board of Directors of Trans World
Airlines, Inc. [AMEX:TWA] today announced interim executive appointments to the
airline's top management positions.

     Board member Gerald L. Gitner, 51, has been named vice chairman and acting
chief executive officer.  Gitner is chairman of Avalon Group, Ltd., a New York
investment bank.  He is an airline industry veteran who has held senior
management positions at several major airlines, including vice chairman of Pan
American World Airways and chairman and chief executive officer of Pan American
World Services.  Gitner was employed at TWA from 1968 until 1974.

     Board member David M. Kennedy, 58, has been named acting executive vice
president and chief operating officer responsible for long-term marketing,
planning and operation of the airline.  Kennedy worked 26 years at the Irish
airline Aer Lingus, where he was chief executive officer from 1974 until 1988.

     Board member William F. Compton, 49, has been named acting executive vice
president-operations, responsible for day-to-day airline operations.  Compton
is the past chairman of the TWA Master Executive Council for the Airline Pilots
Association (ALPA) and is an MD80 captain for TWA.  Among his duties as a Board
member since 1993, Captain Compton has served as coordinator of the Board's
productivity task force.  Captain Compton has been employed by TWA since 1968.

     In announcing the appointments of the interim management, Board Chairman
Thomas Meagher stated that the Board is acting to assure continuity of senior
management while the Board continues its search for a new president and chief
executive officer.


                                    (more)
<PAGE>   2
                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1

        

TWA INTERIM MANAGEMENT-FIRST ADD


        "We continue to seek the right candidate to succeed Jeff Erickson, and
we have several qualified candidates under active consideration.  However, it
has become apparent that the recruitment process may continue longer than we
had originally hoped.  We are grateful to Jeff Erickson for agreeing to
continue as CEO while the search proceeded, but we do not feel it is fair to
ask Jeff to further postpone his plan to depart TWA.  These appointments will
allow Jeff to keep his schedule and will assure continuity of management until
a new CEO can be appointed early in 1997," Meagher said.

        Meagher noted that Gitner, Kennedy and Compton possess more than 90
years of combined airline experience.

        "This is a seasoned transition team that will maintain the progress we
have made to build a strong and profitable TWA.  They embark on these interim
duties with the full support of our Board, including the directors representing
TWA's labor unions," Meagher said.

        The appointments are effective immediately.




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