Alaska Air Group Reports October Traffic

Alaska Air Group, Inc. today reported October passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines (Alaska) and Horizon Air (Horizon). ALASKA AIRLINES Alaska's October traffic increased 3.8...

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

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska’s October traffic increased 3.8 percent to 1.298 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.251 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during October was 1.842 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 2.2 percent higher than the 1.802 billion in October 2004.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 70.5 percent, compared to 69.4 percent in October 2004. The airline carried 1,299,300 passengers, compared to 1,270,700 in October 2004.

RPMs for the 10-month period totaled 14.109 billion, a 4.5 percent increase from the 13.506 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the 10 months ended October 2005 decreased 0.3 percent to 18.578 billion ASMs, compared to 18.626 billion in 2004.

The passenger load factor for the first 10 months of 2005 was 75.9 percent, compared to 72.5 percent in 2004. The airline carried 14,014,900 passengers, compared to 13,567,100 in 2004.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon’s October traffic increased 15.6 percent to 208.7 million RPMs from 180.6 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for October was 289.5 million ASMs, 8.6 percent higher than the 266.6 million in October 2004.

The passenger load factor for the month was 72.1 percent, compared to 67.7 percent in October 2004. The airline carried 537,600 passengers, compared to 511,100 in October 2004.

RPMs for the 10-month period totaled 2.051 billion, a 16.1 percent increase from the 1.766 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the 10 months ended October 2005 increased 9.7 percent to 2.831 billion ASMs, compared to 2.580 billion in 2004.

The passenger load factor for the first 10 months of 2005 was 72.4 percent, compared to 68.4 percent in 2004. The airline carried 5,405,200 passengers, compared to 4,873,000 in 2004.

Horizon’s RPMs, passenger load factor and passengers are reported using actual October 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 Airlines

CONTACT: Caroline Boren, +1-206-392-5799, or Amanda Tobin,
+1-206-392-5134, both of Alaska Airlines