SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 2001--The size of Alaska Airlines'(NYSE:ALK) fleet hit the century mark Tuesday, swelling to 100 aircraft for the first time in the carrier's 69-year history.

The event was triggered by the acquisition of a third Boeing 737-900 this morning at Boeing Field. Alaska is the launch customer for the aircraft, which is the largest and longest 737 model ever built. The first -900 was delivered to the airline May 16, the second May 22. Both aircraft were introduced into regularly scheduled service on May 27.

In addition to the three -900s, Alaska's fleet consists of 40 737-400s, 16 737-700s, nine 737-200Cs and 32 MD-80s.

Alaska acquired its first aircraft in 1932, when Linious "Mac" McGee purchased a two-year old Stinson two-seater in San Francisco for $5,000. McGee flew the aircraft to Seattle, where the aircraft was dismantled, crated and then carried by steamer ship to Valdez, Alaska. There it was reassembled and flown to Anchorage, where McGee started McGee Airways, the predecessor to Alaska Airlines.

And in 1961, Alaska purchased its first jet aircraft, a four-engine Convair 880, which set a speed record of one hour, 43 minutes between Los Angeles and Seattle on its delivery flight. The introduction of the Convair 880 more than halved the flying time between Seattle and Anchorage, from as long as eight hours aboard a DC-6 depending on weather conditions, to less than three hours by jet.

--30--BP/se*