SEATTLE, Feb 26, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK) today announced that it will begin daily service to Orlando, Florida, on May 22.

Alaska Flight 18 will depart Seattle at 8:45 a.m. Pacific time and arrive in Orlando at 5:10 p.m. Eastern time. Meanwhile, Alaska Flight 19 will depart Orlando at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time and arrive in Seattle at 9:13 p.m. Pacific time.

Alaska will operate its 172-seat Boeing 737-900 aircraft on the route.

The new service marks the first nonstop flight between Seattle and Orlando. Currently, Orlando is the largest travel market without nonstop service to Seattle, while Seattle is the largest travel market without nonstop service to Orlando.

"It's hard to believe that until now there hasn't been an easier way to get from Seattle to Orlando," said Gregg Saretsky, Alaska's executive vice president of marketing and planning. "This new nonstop route will make it much more convenient for travelers from Alaska, western Canada and the Pacific Northwest to fly to Orlando, as well as for travelers from central and northern Florida to fly here."

Orlando is Alaska's sixth transcontinental route from Seattle, and its second destination in the state of Florida. Last spring, Alaska began service to Miami.

The Orlando area is the home of a variety of attractions, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Orlando, and SeaWorld Orlando. And, Orlando International Airport provides convenient access to Tampa and Port Canaveral, the busiest cruise port in the Western Hemisphere.

The nation's ninth largest carrier, Alaska Airlines was just named 2003 Technology Leader of the Year by Air Transport World magazine. Alaska and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve more than 80 cities in the Lower 48, Alaska, Canada and Mexico. For reservations go to www.alaskaair.com or call Alaska's toll-free reservations line at 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522).

For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom on the Internet at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com.

CONTACT:          Alaska Airlines
                  Jack Walsh, 206/901-8753 
                  or
                  Jack Evans, 206/433-3134

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