SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 3, 2003--Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) today reported March passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska Airlines' March traffic decreased 0.4 percent to 1.153 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.158 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during March was 1.651 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 1.7 percent higher than the 1.623 billion in March 2002.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 69.9 percent, compared to 71.4 percent in March 2002. The airline carried 1,187,600 passengers compared to 1,232,000 in March 2002.

RPMs for the three-month period totaled 3.143 billion, a 5.5 percent increase from the 2.977 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the three months ended March 2003 increased 5.4 percent to 4.709 billion ASMs, compared to 4.467 billion in 2002.

The passenger load factor for the first three months of 2003 was 66.7 percent, the same as in 2002. The airline carried 3,258,000 passengers compared to 3,193,000 in 2002.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon Air's March traffic increased 4.6 percent to 129.9 million RPMs from 124.2 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for March was 215.7 million ASMs, 15.0 percent higher than last year's 187.6 million.

The passenger load factor for the month was 60.2 percent, compared to 66.2 percent last March. The airline carried 388,600 passengers compared to 406,000 in March 2002.

RPMs for the three months ended March 2003 totaled 357.5 million, an 8.6 percent increase from the 329.2 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the three month period increased 15.9 percent to 615.6 million ASMs, compared to 531.2 million in 2002.

The passenger load factor for the first three months of 2003 was 58.1 percent, compared to 62.0 percent in 2002. The airline carried 1,088,200 passengers, compared to 1,095,000 in 2002.

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

    SOURCE: Alaska Air Group, Inc.