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Alaska Air Group Reports September Operational Results

SEATTLE, Oct. 3, 2012 /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 – MAINLINE
Alaska reported a 5.1 percent increase in traffic on a 5.0 percent increase in capacity compared with September 2011. This resulted in a 0.1-point increase in load factor to a September record of 84.0 percent. Alaska also reported 89.6 percent of its flights arrived on time in September, compared with the 91.7 percent reported in September 2011.

The following table shows Alaska's operational results for September and year-to-date 2012, compared with the prior-year periods:

September

Year-to-Date

2012

2011

Change

2012

2011

Change

Revenue passengers (in thousands)

1,460

1,446

1.0

%

14,012

13,479

4.0

%

Revenue passenger miles

    RPM (in millions)

1,899

1,807

5.1

%

18,351

17,011

7.9

%

Available seat miles

    ASM (in millions)

2,260

2,153

5.0

%

21,124

19,991

5.7

%

Passenger load factor

84.0

%

83.9

%

0.1 pts

86.9

%

85.1

%

1.8 pts

On-time arrivals as reported

    to U.S. DOT

89.6

%

91.7

%

(2.1) pts

88.1

%

88.5

%

(0.4) pts

HORIZON AIR
Horizon reported a 4.3 percent increase in September traffic on a 7.9 percent increase in capacity compared with September 2011. This resulted in a 2.6-point decrease in load factor to 76.7 percent. Horizon also reported a record 94.0 percent of its flights arrived on time in September, compared with the 92.6 percent reported in September 2011.

The following table shows Horizon's operational results for September and year-to-date 2012, compared with the prior-year periods:

September

Year-to-Date

2012

2011

Change

2012

2011

Change

Revenue passengers (in thousands)

547

528

3.6

%

5,053

5,020

0.7

%

RPMs (in millions)

168

161

4.3

%

1,559

1,635

(4.6)

%

ASMs (in millions)

219

203

7.9

%

1,996

2,097

(4.8)

%

Passenger load factor

76.7

%

79.3

%

(2.6) pts

78.1

%

78.0

%

0.1 pts

On-time arrivals

94.0

%

92.6

%

1.4 pts

91.8

%

84.8

%

7.0 pts

The year-to-date decline in capacity and traffic for Horizon from 2011 is due primarily to the completion of Horizon's transition out of the CRJ-700 regional jet. This transition was completed in June 2011.

AIR GROUP (including flights operated by third parties)
On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 5.1 percent increase in traffic on a 5.1 percent increase in capacity compared with September 2011. This resulted in flat year-over-year load factor of 83.5 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and those under capacity purchase agreements, including Horizon, SkyWest and PenAir.

The following table shows the operational results for September and year-to-date 2012, compared with the prior-year periods:

September

Year-to-Date

2012

2011

Change

2012

2011

Change

Revenue passengers (in thousands)

2,055

2,018

1.8

%

19,510

18,707

4.3

%

RPMs (in millions)

2,109

2,007

5.1

%

20,287

18,849

7.6

%

ASMs (in millions)

2,527

2,404

5.1

%

23,557

22,329

5.5

%

Passenger load factor

83.5

%

83.5

%

—

86.1

%

84.4

%

1.7 pts

Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines,  serves 95 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines has ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates North America Airline Satisfaction StudySM for five consecutive years from 2008 to 2012. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.

Bobbie Egan, Media Relations Manager, +1-206-392-5134, or Chris Berry, Managing Director of Investor Relations, +1-206-392-5260