Alaska Air Group reports April 2017 operational results

Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported April and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis, for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Inc....

SEATTLE, May 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported April and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis, for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America Inc. (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries, Inc. (Horizon) and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines (Regional).

Air Group’s acquisition of Virgin America took place on Dec. 14, 2016. Operational results below include Virgin America results from pre-acquisition periods for comparison.

AIR GROUP
On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 7.8 percent increase in traffic on a 4.6 percent increase in capacity compared to April 2016. Load factor increased 2.5 points to 86.6 percent.

The following table shows the operational results for April and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods(1):

April

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change

Revenue passengers (000)

3,674

3,421

7.4%

13,691

13,021

5.1%

Revenue passenger miles RPM (000,000) "traffic"

4,346

4,033

7.8%

16,054

15,220

5.5%

Available seat miles ASM (000,000) "capacity"

5,019

4,797

4.6%

19,413

18,516

4.8%

Passenger load factor

86.6%

84.1%

2.5 pts

82.7%

82.2%

0.5 pts

(1) 

2016 information has been adjusted to include Virgin America operating results for comparison.

ALASKA
Alaska reported an 8.9 percent increase in traffic on a 6.1 percent increase in capacity compared to April 2016. Load factor increased 2.3 points to 87.2 percent. Alaska also reported 81.6 percent of its flights arrived on time in April 2017, compared to 89.4 percent reported in April 2016.

The following table shows Alaska’s operational results for April and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:

April

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change

Revenue passengers (000)

2,208

2,014

9.6%

8,158

7,656

6.6%

RPMs (000,000)

2,986

2,741

8.9%

11,077

10,458

5.9%

ASMs (000,000)

3,425

3,228

6.1%

13,224

12,582

5.1%

Passenger load factor

87.2%

84.9%

2.3 pts

83.8%

83.1%

0.7 pts

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

81.6%

89.4%

(7.8) pts

79.2%

88.0%

(8.8) pts

VIRGIN AMERICA
Virgin America traffic increased 4.5 percent on a 0.8 percent increase in capacity compared to April 2016. Load factor increased 3.1 points to 87.2 percent. Virgin America also reported 64.6 percent of its flights arrived on time in April 2017, compared to 76.4 percent in April 2016.

The following table shows Virgin America operational results for April and year-to-date compared to the prior-year periods:

April

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change

Revenue passengers (000)

684

661

3.5%

2,517

2,427

3.7%

RPMs (000,000)

1,039

994

4.5%

3,776

3,609

4.6%

ASMs (000,000)

1,191

1,182

0.8%

4,652

4,447

4.6%

Passenger load factor

87.2%

84.1%

3.1 pts

81.2%

81.2%

— pt

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

64.6%

76.4%

(11.8) pts

64.6%

77.1%

(12.5) pts

REGIONAL
Regional traffic increased 7.7 percent on a 4.1 percent increase in capacity compared to April 2016. Load factor increased 2.7 points to 79.7 percent. Regional also reported 86.6 percent of its flights arrived on time in April 2017, compared to 89.9 percent in April 2016.

The following table shows regional operational results for April and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:

April

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change

Revenue passengers (000)

782

746

4.8%

3,016

2,938

2.7%

RPMs (000,000)

321

298

7.7%

1,201

1,153

4.2%

ASMs (000,000)

403

387

4.1%

1,537

1,487

3.4%

Passenger load factor

79.7%

77.0%

2.7 pts

78.1%

77.5%

0.6 pts

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

86.6%

89.9%

(3.3) pts

76.4%

88.3%

(11.9) pts

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million customers a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, customers can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Mileage Plan ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Airline Loyalty Rewards Programs" in the J.D. Power Airline Loyalty/Rewards Program Satisfaction Report for the last three consecutive years. Learn more about Alaska’s award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

 

SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.