Alaska Air Group Reports September Traffic

Alaska Air Group, Inc. today reported September passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines (Alaska) and Horizon Air (Horizon). ALASKA AIRLINES Alaska's September traffic increased 5.9...

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

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska’s September traffic increased 5.9 percent to 1.403 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.325 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during September was 1.907 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 4.2 percent higher than the 1.831 billion in September 2005.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 73.6 percent, compared to 72.4 percent in September 2005. The airline carried 1,365,700 passengers, compared to 1,343,400 in September 2005.

RPMs for the nine-month period totaled 13.579 billion, a 6.0 percent increase from the 12.811 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the nine months ended September 2006 increased 4.7 percent to 17.523 billion ASMs, compared to 16.735 billion in 2005.

The passenger load factor for the first nine months of 2006 was 77.5 percent, compared to 76.6 percent in 2005. The airline carried 13,058,000 passengers, compared to 12,715,600 in 2005.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon’s September traffic increased 4.6 percent to 218.6 million RPMs from 208.9 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during September was 301.6 million ASMs, 3.8 percent higher than the 290.6 million in September 2005.

The passenger load factor for the month was 72.5 percent, compared to 71.9 percent in September 2005. The airline carried 567,400 passengers, compared to 536,000 in September 2005.

RPMs for the nine-month period totaled 2.032 billion, a 10.3 percent increase from the 1.843 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the nine months ended September 2006 increased 7.4 percent to 2.729 billion ASMs, compared to 2.542 billion in 2005.

The passenger load factor for the first nine months of 2006 was 74.5 percent, compared to 72.5 percent in 2005. The airline carried 5,171,700 passengers, compared to 4,884,500 in 2005.

Horizon’s RPMs, passenger load factor and passengers are reported using actual operating data for flights operated as Horizon Air combined with estimated September 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 alaskaair.com/newsroom.

FCMN Contact: maria.koenig@alaskaair.com

SOURCE: Alaska Air Group, Inc.

CONTACT: Amanda Tobin Bielawski, Media Relations Manager,
+1-206-392-5134, or Shannon Alberts, Managing Director of Investor Relations,
+1-206-392-5218, both of Alaska Air Group, Inc.