EXPRESSJET HOLDINGS, INC. 2007 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

Exhibit 4.5

EXPRESSJET HOLDINGS, INC.
2007 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
(As Amended and Restated Effective May 14, 2009)

Effective as of May 23, 2007, ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, adopted the 2007 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan as set forth herein constitutes an amendment and restatement of the Plan as previously adopted, and shall supersede and replace in its entirety such previously adopted plan.

1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

The purpose of the Plan is to assist the Company and its Subsidiaries in attracting and retaining selected individuals to serve as directors of the Company and as employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries who are expected to contribute to the Company’s success, and to achieve long-term objectives that will inure to the benefit of all stockholders of the Company through the additional incentives inherent in the Awards hereunder.

2. DEFINITIONS

2.1. “Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Other Share-Based Award, Performance Award or any other right, interest or option relating to Shares or other property (including cash) granted pursuant to the provisions of the Plan.

2.2. “Award Agreement” shall mean any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award hereunder, including through an electronic medium.

2.3. “Board” shall mean the board of directors of the Company.

2.4. “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

2.5. “Committee” shall, subject to the following sentence, mean the Human Resources Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof formed by the Human Resources Committee to act as the Committee hereunder. The Committee shall consist of no fewer than two Directors, each of whom is (i) a “Non-Employee Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and (iii) an “independent director” for purpose of the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (or such other principal securities market on which the Shares are traded); provided, however, that as it relates to, any person who is neither a Covered Employee nor subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, “Committee” shall mean the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in his capacity as CEO Committee of the Board (or, if the Chief Executive Officer is not a director of the Company or if the CEO Committee of the Board is dissolved, the Committee).

2.6. “Covered Employee” shall mean an employee of the Company or its subsidiaries who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.

2.7. “Director” shall mean a non-employee member of the Board.

2.8. “Dividend Equivalents” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.5 .

2.9. “Employee” shall mean any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary and any prospective employee conditioned upon, and effective not earlier than, such person becoming an employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.

2.10. “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

2.11. “Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to any property other than Shares, the market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee. The Fair Market Value of Shares as of any date shall be the per Share closing price of the Shares as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on that date (or if there were no reported prices on such date, on the last preceding date on which the prices were reported) or, if the Company is not then listed on the New York Stock Exchange, on such other principal securities exchange on which the Shares are traded, and if the Company is not listed on the New York Stock Exchange or any other securities exchange, the Fair Market Value of Shares shall be determined by the Committee in its sole discretion using appropriate criteria.

2.12. “Limitations” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.4 .

2.13. “Option” shall mean any right granted to a Participant under the Plan allowing such Participant to purchase Shares at such price or prices and during such period or periods as the Committee shall determine.

2.14. “Other Share-Based Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8.1 .

2.15. “Participant” shall mean an Employee or Director who is selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan.

2.16. “Payee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1 .

2.17. “Performance Award” shall mean any Award of Performance Cash, Performance Shares or Performance Units granted pursuant to Article 9.

2.18. “Performance Cash” shall mean any cash incentives granted pursuant to Article 9 which will be paid to the Participant upon the achievement of such performance goals as the Committee shall establish.

2.19. “Performance Period” shall mean that period established by the Committee of not less than 12 months during which any performance goals specified by the Committee with respect to a Performance Award are to be measured.

2.20. “Performance Share” shall mean any grant pursuant to Article 9 of a unit valued by reference to a designated number of Shares, which value will be paid to the Participant upon achievement of such performance goals as the Committee shall establish.

2.21. “Performance Unit” shall mean any grant pursuant to Article 9 of a unit valued by reference to a designated amount of property other than Shares (or cash), which value will be paid to the Participant upon achievement of such performance goals during the Performance Period as the Committee shall establish.

2.22. “Permitted Assignee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.3 .

2.23. “Restricted Stock” shall mean any Share issued with the restriction that the holder may not sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Share and with such other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose (including any restriction on the right to vote such Share and the right to receive any dividends), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

2.24. “Restricted Stock Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1 .

2.25. “Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award that is valued by reference to a Share, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation, cash or Shares, or any combination thereof, and that has such restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose, including without limitation, any restriction on the right to retain such Awards, to sell, transfer, pledge or assign such Awards, and/or to receive any cash Dividend Equivalents with respect to such Awards, which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such time or times, in installments or otherwise, as the Committee may deem appropriate.

2.26. “Restricted Stock Unit Award” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1 .

2.27. “Shares” shall mean the shares of common stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share.

2.28 . “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean the right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 6.

2.29. “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Company if, at the relevant time each of the entities other than the last in the unbroken chain possesses 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other entities in the chain.

2.30. “Substitute Awards” shall mean Awards granted or Shares issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, in each case by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

2.31. “Vesting Period” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.1 .

3. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

3.1 Number of Shares. (a) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2 , the total number of Shares authorized (i) for issuance under the Plan and (ii) for issuance under the Plan through “incentive stock options” as defined in Section 422 of the Code shall be the sum of 2,400,000 and the number of Shares that remained available for issuance under the Plan immediately prior to the effective date of this amendment and restatement of the Plan.

(b) If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited, expire or otherwise terminate without issuance of such Shares, or any Award is settled for cash or otherwise does not result in the issuance of all or a portion of the Shares subject to such Award (including on payment in Shares on exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right), such Shares shall, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, termination, cash settlement or non-issuance, again be available for issuance under the Plan.

(c) In the event that (i) any Option or other Award granted hereunder is exercised through the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, or (ii) withholding tax liabilities arising from such Option or other Award are satisfied by the tendering of Shares (either actually or by attestation) or by the withholding of Shares by the Company, then the Shares so tendered or withheld shall be available for issuance under the Plan.

(d) Substitute Awards shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan or authorized for grant to a Participant in any 36-month period pursuant to Section 10.4. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the Shares authorized for grant under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were not Employees or Directors prior to such acquisition or combination. Grants of Awards described in the preceding sentence shall be made in compliance with any rules of the New York Stock Exchange or other exchange on which the Company’s common stock is listed.

3.2. Character of Shares. Any Shares issued hereunder may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued shares, treasury shares or shares purchased in the open market or otherwise.

4. ELIGIBILITY AND ADMINISTRATION

4.1 . Eligibility. Any Employee or Director shall be eligible to be selected as a Participant.

4.2 . Administration . (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full power and authority, subject to the provisions of the Plan and subject to such orders or resolutions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as may from time to time be adopted by the Board, to: (i) select the Employees and Directors to whom Awards may from time to time be granted hereunder; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, to be granted to each Participant hereunder; (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder; (iv) determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, of any Award granted hereunder; (v) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be settled in cash, Shares or other property; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award made under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant; (vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances any Award shall be canceled or suspended; (viii) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement entered into under or in connection with the Plan, including any Award Agreement; (ix) correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Award in the manner and to the extent that the Committee shall deem desirable to carry it into effect; (x) establish such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (xi) determine whether any Award will have Dividend Equivalents; and (xii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for administration of the Plan.

(b) Decisions of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons or entities, including the Company, any Participant, and any Subsidiary. A majority of the members of the Committee may determine its actions, including fixing the time and place of its meetings.

5. OPTIONS

5.1 . Grant of Options. Options may be granted hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. Any Option shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Article and to such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable.

5.2 . Award Agreements . All Options granted pursuant to this Article shall be evidenced by a written (including an electronic writing) Award Agreement in such form and containing such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan. The terms of Options need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Granting an Option pursuant to the Plan shall impose no obligation on the recipient to exercise such Option. Any individual who is granted an Option pursuant to this Article may hold more than one Option granted pursuant to the Plan at the same time.

5.3. Option Price. Other than in connection with Substitute Awards, the option price per each Share purchasable under any Option granted pursuant to this Article shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of grant of such Option. Other than pursuant to Section 12.2 , the Committee shall not without the approval of the Company’s stockholders (a) lower the option price per Share of an Option after it is granted, (b) cancel an Option when the option price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares in exchange for cash or another Award (other than in connection with Substitute Awards), or (c) take any other action with respect to an Option that would be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the principal securities market on which the Shares are traded.

5.4. Option Term. The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee in its sole discretion; provided that no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option is granted.

5.5. Exercise of Options. (a) Vested Options granted under the Plan shall be exercised by the Participant or by a Permitted Assignee thereof (or by the Participant’s executors, administrators, guardian or legal representative, as may be provided in an Award Agreement) as to all or part of the Shares covered thereby, by giving notice of exercise to the Company or its designated agent, specifying the number of Shares to be purchased. The notice of exercise shall be in such form, made in such manner, and in compliance with such other requirements consistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Committee may prescribe from time to time.

(b) Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, full payment of the purchase price shall be made at the time of exercise and shall be made (i) in cash or cash equivalents (including certified check or bank check or wire transfer of immediately available funds), (ii) by tendering previously acquired Shares (either actually or by attestation, valued at their then Fair Market Value), (iii) with the consent of the Committee, by delivery of other consideration having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the total purchase price, (iv) with the consent of the Committee, by withholding Shares otherwise issuable in connection with the exercise of the Option, (v) through any other method specified in an Award Agreement, or (vi) any combination of any of the foregoing. The notice of exercise, accompanied by such payment, shall be delivered to the Company at its principal business office or such other office as the Committee may from time to time direct, and shall be in such form, containing such further provisions consistent with the provisions of the Plan, as the Committee may from time to time prescribe. In no event may any Option granted hereunder be exercised for a fraction of a Share. No adjustment shall be made for cash dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of such issuance. Except for Substitute Awards, under circumstances contemplated by Article 11 or as may be set forth in an Award Agreement with respect to (i) retirement, death or disability of a Participant, or (ii) special circumstances determined by the Committee (such as the achievement of performance objectives), Options granted to employees of the Company or any Subsidiary will not be exercisable before the expiration of one year from the date the Option is granted (but may become exercisable pro rata over such time).

5.6. Form of Settlement. In its sole discretion, the Committee may provide that the Shares to be issued upon an Option’s exercise shall be in the form of Restricted Stock or other similar securities.

5.7. Incentive Stock Options. The Committee may grant Options intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” as defined in Section 422 of the Code, to any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, subject to the requirements of Section 422 of the Code.

6. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

6.1. Grant and Exercise. The Committee may provide Stock Appreciation Rights (a) in conjunction with all or part of any Option granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Option, (b) in conjunction with all or part of any Award (other than an Option) granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Award, or (c) without regard to any Option or other Award in each case upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may establish in its sole discretion.

6.2. Terms and Conditions. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as shall be determined from time to time by the Committee, including the following:

(a) Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the holder shall have the right to receive the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date of exercise (or such amount less than such Fair Market Value as the Committee shall so determine at any time during a specified period before the date of exercise) over (ii) the grant price of the right on the date of grant, which, except in the case of Substitute Awards or in connection with an adjustment provided in Section 12.2 , shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of the one Share on the date of grant of such right.

(b) Upon the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion whether payment shall be made in cash, in whole Shares or other property, or any combination thereof.

(c) The provisions of Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each recipient.

(d) The Committee may impose such other conditions or restrictions on the terms of exercise and the grant price of any Stock Appreciation Right, as it shall deem appropriate. A Stock Appreciation Right shall (i) have a grant price not less than Fair Market Value on the date of grant (subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12.2 ) or, if applicable, on the date of grant of an Option with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right granted in exchange for or in tandem with, but subsequent to, the Option (subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code), except for Substitute Awards, (ii) have a term not greater than ten (10) years, and (iii) not be exercisable before the expiration of one year from the date of grant (but may become exercisable pro rata over such time), except for Substitute Awards, under circumstances contemplated by Article 11 or as may be set forth in an Award Agreement with respect to (x) retirement, death or disability of a Participant or (y) special circumstances determined by the Committee, such as the achievement of performance objectives.

(e) Without the approval of the Company’s stockholders, other than pursuant to Section 12.2 , the Committee shall not (i) reduce the grant price of any Stock Appreciation Right after the date of grant, (ii) cancel any Stock Appreciation Right when the grant price per Share exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares in exchange for cash or another Award (other than in connection with Substitute Awards), or (iii) take any other action with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right that would be treated as a repricing under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the principal securities market on which the Shares are traded.

(f) The Committee may impose such terms and conditions on Stock Appreciation Rights granted in conjunction with any Award as the Committee shall determine in its sole discretion.

7. RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

7.1. Grants. Awards of Restricted Stock and of Restricted Stock Units may be issued hereunder to Participants either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan (a “Restricted Stock Award” or “Restricted Stock Unit Award” respectively), and such Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards shall also be available as a form of payment of Performance Awards, awards under the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan and other earned cash-based incentive compensation. A Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be subject to vesting restrictions imposed by the Committee covering a period of time specified by the Committee (the “Vesting Period”). The Committee has absolute discretion to determine whether any consideration (other than services) is to be received by the Company or any Subsidiary as a condition precedent to the issuance of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.

7.2. Award Agreements. The terms of any Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award granted under the Plan shall be set forth in a written (including electronic writings) Award Agreement which shall contain provisions determined by the Committee and not inconsistent with the Plan. The terms of Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards need not be the same with respect to each Participant.

7.3. Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, beginning on the date of grant of the Restricted Stock Award and subject to execution of the Award Agreement, the Participant shall become a stockholder of the Company with respect to all Shares subject to the Award Agreement and shall have all of the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote such Shares and the right to receive distributions made with respect to such Shares. A Participant receiving a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall not possess voting rights with respect to such Award. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, any Shares or any other property (other than cash) distributed as a dividend or otherwise with respect to any Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award as to which the restrictions have not yet lapsed shall be subject to the same restrictions as such Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends, dividend equivalents and any Shares or other property distributed with respect to any Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award that is subject to Article 10 shall be accumulated (or reinvested in additional Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units) until the vesting of such Award pursuant to Article 10.

7.4. Minimum Vesting Period. Except for Substitute Awards and for certain limited situations (including the death, disability or retirement of the Participant, and a Change in Control as defined in Article 11), or special circumstances determined by the Committee, such as the achievement of performance objectives (which shall have a minimum Vesting Period of one year), Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Unit Awards subject solely to the continued employment of employees of the Company or a Subsidiary shall have a Vesting Period of not less than three (3) years from date of grant (but permitting pro rata vesting over such time); provided that such restrictions shall not be applicable to (i) grants to new hires to replace forfeited awards from a prior employer, or (ii) grants of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units in payment of Performance Awards, awards under the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan and other earned cash-based incentive compensation. Subject to the foregoing minimum Vesting Period requirements, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and subject to the limitations imposed under Section 162(m) of the Code and the regul