Alaska Air Group Reports February Traffic

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

Alaska Airlines

Alaska’s February traffic increased 6.4 percent to 1.260 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.184 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during February was 1.711 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 2.1 percent higher than the 1.676 billion in February 2005.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 73.7 percent, compared to 70.7 percent in February 2005. The airline carried 1,209,400 passengers, compared to 1,174,800 in February 2005.

RPMs for the two-month period totaled 2.555 billion, a 5 percent increase from the 2.433 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the two months ended February 2006 increased 2.8 percent to 3.589 billion ASMs, compared to 3.490 billion in 2005.

The passenger load factor for the first two months of 2006 was 71.2 percent, compared to 69.7 percent in 2005. The airline carried 2,447,700 passengers, compared to 2,406,200 in 2005.

Horizon Air

Horizon’s February traffic increased 19.7 percent to 195.3 million RPMs from 163.2 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during February was 273.2 million ASMs, 12.8 percent higher than the 242.2 million in February 2005.

The passenger load factor for the month was 71.5 percent, compared to 67.4 percent in February 2005. The airline carried 502,300 passengers, compared to 449,800 in February 2005.

RPMs for the two-month period totaled 386 million, a 15.5 percent increase from the 334.2 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the two months ended February 2006 increased 13.1 percent to 567.8 million ASMs, compared to 502.1 million in 2005.

The passenger load factor for the first two months of 2006 was 68 percent, compared to 66.6 percent in 2005. The airline carried 995,600 passengers, compared to 923,100 in 2005.

Horizon’s RPMs, passenger load factor and passengers are reported using actual February 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 Air Group, Inc.