Alaska Air Group Reports May Traffic

SEATTLE, June 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ Alaska Air Group, Inc. today reported May passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines (Alaska) and Horizon Air (Horizon).

Alaska's May traffic increased 9.2 percent to 1.308 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.198 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during May was 1.866 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 8.8 percent higher than the 1.715 billion in May 2003.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 70.1 percent, compared to 69.9 percent in May 2003. The airline carried 1,310,700 passengers compared to 1,241,500 in May 2003.

RPMs for the five-month period totaled 6.164 billion, a 12.8 percent increase from the 5.464 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the five months ended May 2004 increased 9.5 percent to 8.829 billion ASMs, compared to 8.060 billion in 2003.

The passenger load factor for the first five months of 2004 was 69.8 percent, compared to 67.8 percent in 2003. The airline carried 6,193,100 passengers compared to 5,659,500 in 2003.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon's May traffic increased 28.7 percent to 173.0 million RPMs from 134.4 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during May was 264.8 million ASMs, 27.6 percent higher than last year's 207.5 million.

The passenger load factor for the month was 65.3 percent, compared to 64.8 percent in May 2003. The airline carried 473,200 passengers compared to 404,000 in May 2003.

RPMs for the five-month period totaled 786.3 million, a 28.5 percent increase from the 611.9 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the five months ended May 2004 increased 17.9 percent to 1.211 billion ASMs compared to 1.027 billion in 2003.

The passenger load factor for the first five months of 2004 was 64.9 percent, compared to 59.6 percent in 2003. The airline carried 2,190,800 passengers, compared to 1,853,800 in 2003.

Horizon's RPMs, passenger load factor, and passengers are reported using actual May 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.