Alaska Air Group Reports September Operational Results

SEATTLE, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported September operational results for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and on a combined basis. Detailed information is provided below.

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska reported a 10.4 percent increase in traffic on a 7.2 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2010. This resulted in a 2.4-point increase in load factor to a September record of 83.9 percent. Alaska also reported 91.7 percent of its flights arrived on time, a September record compared to the 90.5 percent reported in September 2010.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon reported a 16.6 percent decline in traffic on a 20.1 percent decline in capacity compared to September 2010. This resulted in a 3.3-point increase in load factor to a September record of 79.3 percent. Horizon also reported 92.6 percent of its flights arrived on time, a September record compared to the 86.8 percent reported in September 2010. The significant decline in capacity and traffic for Horizon from the prior year is due primarily to the completion of Horizon’s transition out of its CRJ-700 fleet and a corresponding reduction in the size of Horizon’s operating fleet from 53 aircraft at Sept. 30, 2010, to 48 aircraft at Sept. 30, 2011. This transition was completed in June 2011.

AIR GROUP (including flights operated by third parties)

On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 9.5 percent increase in traffic on a 6.1 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2010. This resulted in a 2.6-point increase in load factor to 83.5 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and Horizon, and those under capacity purchase arrangements with SkyWest and a small third-party carrier in the state of Alaska.