The ozone decomposition reaction to molecular oxygen was studied in a flow reactor on a MnO2 / gamma - Al2O3 / cordierite catalyst. The rate expression is found to depend on ozone concentration, r(O3) = k(O-3)(0.68), but not on O-2 or H2O partial pressure. A reaction sequence based on an ionic type intermediate with superoxide (O-2(-)) or peroxide (O-2(2-)) character is proposed to explain the kinetics.