Alaska Air Group Reports October Operational Results

SEATTLE, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported October operational results for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and on a combined basis. Detailed information is provided below.

ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska reported a 6.0 percent increase in traffic on a 5.1 percent increase in capacity compared to October 2010. This resulted in a 0.8-point increase in load factor to an October record 82.6 percent. Alaska also reported an October record 91.1 percent of its flights arrived on time, compared to the 88.1 percent reported in October 2010.

HORIZON AIR
Horizon reported a 16.3 percent decline in traffic on a 19.5 percent decline in capacity compared to October 2010. This resulted in a 2.9-point increase in load factor to an October record 77.7 percent. Horizon also reported an October record 91.8 percent of its flights arrived on time, compared to the 85.0 percent reported in October 2010. The significant decline in capacity and traffic for Horizon from the prior year is due primarily to the completion of Horizon’s transition out of the CRJ-700 fleet and a corresponding reduction in the size of Horizon’s operating fleet from 53 aircraft at October 31, 2010, to 48 aircraft at October 31, 2011. This transition was completed in June of 2011.

AIR GROUP (including flights operated by third parties)
On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 5.5 percent increase in traffic on a 4.2 percent increase in capacity compared to October 2010. This resulted in a 1.0-point increase in load factor to 82.0 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and Horizon, and those under capacity purchase arrangements with SkyWest and a small third-party carrier in the state of Alaska.