Alaska Air Group Reports April Traffic

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

Alaska's April traffic increased 13.6 percent to 1.276 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.123 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during April was 1.785 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 9.0 percent higher than the 1.637 billion in April 2003.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 71.5 percent, compared to 68.6 percent in April 2003. The airline carried 1,290,600 passengers compared to 1,159,900 in April 2003.

RPMs for the four-month period totaled 4.856 billion, a 13.8 percent increase from the 4.266 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the four months ended April 2004 increased 9.7 percent to 6.963 billion ASMs, compared to 6.345 billion in 2003.

The passenger load factor for the first four months of 2004 was 69.7 percent, compared to 67.2 percent in 2003. The airline carried 4,882,400 passengers compared to 4,417,900 in 2003.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon's April traffic increased 35.8 percent to 162.9 million RPMs from 120.0 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for April was 253.8 million ASMs, 24.3 percent higher than the 204.2 million in April 2003.

The passenger load factor for the month was 64.2 percent, compared to 58.7 percent in April 2003. The airline carried 448,800 passengers compared to 361,500 in April 2003.

RPMs for the four-month period totaled 613.3 million, a 28.5 percent increase from the 477.4 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the four months ended April 2004 increased 15.4 percent to 945.9 million ASMs compared to 819.8 million in 2003.

The passenger load factor for the first four months of 2004 was 64.8 percent, compared to 58.2 percent in 2003. The airline carried 1,717,700 passengers, compared to 1,449,800 in 2003.

Horizon's RPMs, passenger load factor and passengers are reported using actual April operating data for flights operated as Horizon Air combined with estimated operating data for Horizon's regional jet service operated as Frontier JetExpress.

SOURCE: Alaska Air Group, Inc.