Alaska Air Group reports September 2018 operational results

News provided by

Alaska Air Group Inc.

Oct 12, 2018, 08:00 ET

SEATTLE, Oct. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. today reported September and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis for its mainline operations operated by subsidiary Alaska Airlines Inc. and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries Inc. and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

On Jan. 11, 2018, Alaska and Virgin America consolidated their operations onto a Single Operating Certificate. Results for Alaska and Virgin America have been combined into a single mainline operation.

AIR GROUP
On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 0.6 percent increase in traffic on a 3.2 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2017. Load factor decreased 2.1 points to 80.8 percent.

The following table shows the operational results for September and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:


September


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

3,579


3,541


1.1%


34,685


33,038


5.0%

Revenue passenger miles RPM (000,000) "traffic"

4,186


4,162


0.6%


41,272


39,072


5.6%

Available seat miles ASM (000,000) "capacity"

5,183


5,021


3.2%


49,256


46,169


6.7%

Passenger load factor

80.8%


82.9%


(2.1) pts


83.8%


84.6%


(0.8) pts

MAINLINE
Mainline reported a 0.3 percent decrease in traffic on a 2.4 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2017. Load factor decreased 2.2 points to 81 percent. Mainline also reported 85.2 percent of its flights arrived on time in September 2018, compared to 83.9 percent reported in September 2017.

Mainline operational results reflect both Alaska and Virgin America combined. The following table shows mainline operational results for September and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:


September


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

2,755


2,755


—%


27,107


25,850


4.9%

RPMs (000,000)

3,789


3,800


(0.3)%


37,677


36,045


4.5%

ASMs (000,000)

4,676


4,566


2.4%


44,730


42,397


5.5%

Passenger load factor

81.0%


83.2%


(2.2) pts


84.2%


85.0%


(0.8) pt

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

85.2%


83.9%


1.3 pts


83.2%


78.0%


5.2 pts

REGIONAL
Regional traffic increased 9.7 percent on an 11.4 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2017. Load factor decreased 1.4 points to 78.2 percent. Alaska's regional partners also reported 83.4 percent of its flights arrived on time in September 2018, compared to 82.7 percent in September 2017.

The following table shows regional operational results for September and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:


September


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

824


786


4.8%


7,578


7,188


5.4%

RPMs (000,000)

397


362


9.7%


3,595


3,027


18.8%

ASMs (000,000)

507


455


11.4%


4,526


3,772


20.0%

Passenger load factor

78.2%


79.6%


(1.4) pts


79.4%


80.2%


(0.8) pts

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

83.4%


82.7%


0.7 pts


84.5%


79.4%


5.1 pts

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 11 consecutive years from 2008 to 2018. Learn about Alaska's award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.