Alaska Air Group Reports September Traffic

Alaska Air Group, Inc. today reported September passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines (Alaska) and Horizon Air (Horizon).

Alaska Airlines

Alaska’s September traffic increased 0.2 percent to 1.430 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.427 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during September was 1.888 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 5.0 percent lower than the 1.988 billion in September 2007.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 75.8 percent, 4.0 points higher than the 71.8 percent in September 2007. The airline carried 1,295,200 passengers, compared to 1,391,200 in September 2007.

Alaska reported that 87.8 percent of its flights arrived on time in September 2008. This is a 14.5-point increase over the 73.3 percent reported in September 2007.

RPMs for the nine-month period totaled 14.410 billion, a 3.3 percent increase from the 13.953 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the nine months ended September 2008 increased 2.4 percent to 18.628 billion ASMs, compared to 18.188 billion in 2007.

The passenger load factor for the first nine months of 2008 was 77.4 percent, compared to 76.7 percent in 2007. The airline carried 13,037,500 passengers, compared to 13,367,100 in 2007.

Alaska reported that 79.3 percent of its flights arrived on time for the first nine months of 2008, a 7.1-point increase over the 72.2 percent reported for the first nine months of 2007.

Horizon Air

Horizon’s September traffic decreased 15.7 percent to 201.1 million RPMs from 238.6 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for September was 277.0 million ASMs, 17.2 percent lower than the 334.6 million in September 2007.

The passenger load factor for the month was 72.6 percent, compared to 71.3 percent in September 2007. The airline carried 584,300 passengers, compared to 610,000 in September 2007.

Horizon reported that 91.6 percent of its flights arrived on time in September 2008, a 10.4-point increase over the 81.2 percent reported in September 2007.

RPMs for the nine-month period totaled 2.074 billion, a 5.5 percent decrease from the 2.195 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the nine months ended September 2008 decreased 5.1 percent to 2.831 billion ASMs, compared to 2.982 billion in 2007.

The passenger load factor for the first nine months of 2008 was 73.2 percent, compared to 73.6 percent in 2007. The airline carried 5,754,000 passengers, compared to 5,622,000 in 2007.

Horizon reported that 85.1 percent of its flights arrived on time for the first nine months of 2008, a 2.9-point increase over the 82.2 percent reported for the first nine months of 2007.

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier Horizon Air together serve 93 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit http://www.alaskaair.com/. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at http://www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

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SOURCE: Alaska Air Group, Inc.