Alaska Air Group Reports December Traffic

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

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska’s December traffic increased 1.9 percent to 1.440 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.413 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during December was 1.898 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 2.1 percent higher than the 1.859 billion in December 2004.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 75.9 percent, compared to 76 percent in December 2004. The airline carried 1,398,900 passengers, compared to 1,407,300 in December 2004.

RPMs for the 12-month period totaled 16.915 billion, a 4.2 percent increase from the 16.231 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the 12 months ended December 2005 increased 0.1 percent to 22.292 billion ASMs, compared to 22.276 billion in 2004.

The passenger load factor for the 12 months of 2005 was 75.9 percent, compared to 72.9 percent in 2004. The airline carried 16,758,900 passengers, compared to 16,294,600 in 2004.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon’s December traffic increased 8.3 percent to 217.5 million RPMs from 200.9 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during December was 289.9 million ASMs, 7.2 percent higher than the 270.5 million in December 2004.

The passenger load factor for the month was 75 percent, compared to 74.3 percent in December 2004. The airline carried 552,100 passengers, compared to 547,000 in December 2004.

RPMs for the 12-month period totaled 2.475 billion, a 14.8 percent increase from the 2.155 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the 12 months ended December 2005 increased 9.4 percent to 3.4 billion ASMs, compared to 3.107 billion in 2004.

The passenger load factor for the 12 months of 2005 was 72.8 percent, compared to 69.3 percent in 2004. The airline carried 6,481,000 passengers, compared to 5,930,000 in 2004.

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

Alaska Airlines and sister carrier, Horizon Air, together serve 88 cities through an expansive network throughout Alaska, the Lower 48, Canada and Mexico. For reservations visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air newsroom at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com/ .

SOURCE: Alaska Airlines