SEATTLE, Mar 5, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) today reported February passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska Airlines' February traffic increased 5.8 percent to 979.6 million revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 925.8 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during February was 1.453 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 2.8 percent higher than the 1.413 billion in February 2002.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 67.4 percent, compared to 65.5 percent in February 2002. The airline carried 1,021,400 passengers compared to 997,100 in February 2002.

RPMs for the two-month period totaled 1.990 billion, a 9.4 percent increase from the 1.819 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the two months ended February 2003 increased 7.5 percent to 3.058 billion ASMs, compared to 2.844 billion in 2002.

The passenger load factor for the first two months of 2003 was 65.1 percent, compared to 64.0 percent in 2002. The airline carried 2,070,400 passengers compared to 1,961,000 in 2002.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon Air's February traffic increased 6.8 percent to 112.3 million RPMs from 105.1 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for February was 190.2 million ASMs, 10.7 percent higher than last year's 171.8 million.

The passenger load factor for the month was 59.1 percent, compared to 61.2 percent last February. The airline carried 343,400 passengers compared to 348,100 in February 2002.

RPMs for the two months ended February 2003 totaled 227.6 million, an 11.0 percent increase from the 205.0 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the two-month period increased 16.4 percent to 399.9 million ASMs, compared to 343.6 million in 2002.

The passenger load factor for the first two months of 2003 was 56.9 percent, compared to 59.6 percent in 2002. The airline carried 699,500 passengers, compared to 689,000 in 2002.

CONTACT:          Alaska Air Group, Inc.
                  Jack Evans, 206/433-3134

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