Air Transport World Magazine Names Alaska Airlines Winner of Its 2012 Joseph S. Murphy Industry Service Award

SEATTLE, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Transport World magazine has named Alaska Airlines the 2012 winner of its coveted Joseph S. Murphy Industry Service Award for outstanding public and community service.

ATW's airline achievement awards, which recognize outstanding performance, innovation and service in commercial aviation, are among the longest running and most prestigious in the industry. Alaska Airlines is the only North American carrier that ATW is honoring this year and the first U.S. carrier to win the magazine's industry service award.

"The Joseph S. Murphy Award honors an individual or organization that makes the airline industry a better place," ATW Chief Editor Geoffrey Thomas said. "Alaska Airlines, through its numerous environmental and corporative giving initiatives, has benefited the people and communities in which it serves, as well as has brought credit to the industry as a whole."

ATW editors noted Alaska Airlines' outstanding industry service record and leadership in technology and customer innovations. These include the airline's pioneering work on satellite-based navigation procedures that are part of the Federal Aviation Administration's NextGen air traffic control system, and the carrier's "Airport of the Future," a more efficient check-in process than the traditional ticket counter for travelers and airline workers. ATW also cited Alaska's employees, who volunteered more than 8,000 hours in their communities in 2010, as well as the airline's $5.6 million in corporate giving to such organizations as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Angel Flight West, Special Olympics, Shriners Hospital for Children and Business Opportunities for Leadership Diversity (BOLD).

"We're honored and very proud to receive this award," Alaska Airlines President Brad Tilden said. "In addition to recognizing our airline's commitment to serving our communities and our own initiative for supporting worthy organizations, it also reflects directly on our employees' individual dedication to giving back. So many of our employees volunteer in their neighborhoods and we're proud to support that as part of our corporate mission."

Air Transport World awarded Alaska Airlines the magazine's Airline Technology Leadership Award in 2011 and in 2003. ATW also named Alaska its 1990 Airline of the Year and recognized the carrier with its Financial Management Award in 1989.

The 2012 awards will be presented Feb. 13 in Singapore at the magazine's annual presentation gala.

Air Transport World (www.ATWonline.com) is the leading monthly magazine serving the airline and commercial aircraft manufacturing and support industries. Its awards program was launched in 1974.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines