Alaska Air Group Declares Two-for-One Stock Split

SEATTLE, Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK) announced today that its board of directors has declared a two-for-one stock split to be effected in the form of a stock dividend. The additional shares will be distributed on March 16, 2012, to shareholders of record on March 2, 2012.

The stock split will increase Alaska Air Group's outstanding shares from approximately 35.5 million shares to about 71 million shares.

Alaska Air Group's board of directors also has approved a stock repurchase program authorizing the company to buy up to $50 million of its common stock over the next year.

"The changes we've made over the past decade to transform Alaska into a nimble, adaptable airline of the 21st century give us confidence in our ability to sustain strong financial performance," Air Group CEO-Elect Brad Tilden said. "The stock split and the new share repurchase program underscore our commitment to building long-term shareholder value."

The company intends to finance the stock repurchases with cash on hand. The repurchase program authorizes Air Group to buy its common stock from time to time through open market purchases, negotiated transactions or other means, including accelerated share repurchases and 10b5-1 trading plans in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Alaska Air Group has repurchased 8.3 million shares of its common stock for nearly $262 million through similar programs over the past five years.

View an Investor's Q&A about the stock split. http://bit.ly/xcEFa6

This news release contains forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. For a comprehensive discussion of potential risk factors, see Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2011. Some of these risks include general economic conditions, increases in operating costs including fuel, competition, labor costs and relations, our significant indebtedness, inability to meet cost reduction goals, seasonal fluctuations in our financial results, an aircraft accident, and changes in laws and regulations. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed therein. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risk factors, nor can it assess the impact, if any, of such new risk factors on our business or events described in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform them to actual results. Over time, our actual results, performance or achievements will likely differ from the anticipated results, performance or achievements that are expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements, and such differences might be significant and materially adverse.

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 Air Group