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 6.2 percent to 1.325 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.248 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during September was 1.831 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 0.7 percent higher than the 1.819 billion in September 2004.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 72.4 percent, compared to 68.6 percent in September 2004. The airline carried 1,343,400 passengers, compared to 1,280,600 in September 2004.

RPMs for the nine-month period totaled 12.811 billion, a 4.5 percent increase from the 12.255 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the nine months ended September 2005 decreased 0.5 percent to 16.735 billion ASMs, compared to 16.825 billion in 2004.

The passenger load factor for the first nine months of 2005 was 76.6 percent, compared to 72.8 percent in 2004. The airline carried 12,715,600 passengers, compared to 12,296,300 in 2004.

HORIZON AIR

Horizon’s September traffic increased 18.5 percent to 209 million RPMs from 176.4 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during September was 290.6 million ASMs, 11.3 percent higher than the 261 million in September 2004.

The passenger load factor for the month was 71.9 percent, compared to 67.6 percent in September 2004. The airline carried 536,000 passengers, compared to 499,100 in September 2004.

RPMs for the nine-month period totaled 1.843 billion, a 16.2 percent increase from the 1.586 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the nine months ended September 2005 increased 9.9 percent to 2.542 billion ASMs, compared to 2.314 billion in 2004.

The passenger load factor for the first nine months of 2005 was 72.5 percent, compared to 68.5 percent in 2004. The airline carried 4,867,600 passengers, compared to 4,361,900 in 2004. Horizon’s RPMs, passenger load factor and passengers are reported using actual September 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