Alaska Air Group Reports September Operational Results

News provided by

Oct 05, 2011, 08:00 ET

SEATTLE, Oct. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported September operational results for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and on a combined basis. Detailed information is provided below.

ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska reported a 10.4 percent increase in traffic on a 7.2 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2010. This resulted in a 2.4-point increase in load factor to a September record of 83.9 percent. Alaska also reported 91.7 percent of its flights arrived on time, a September record compared to the 90.5 percent reported in September 2010.

The following table shows Alaska's operational results for September 2011 and year-to-date 2011, compared to the prior-year periods:

	September			Year-to-Date
	2011	2010	Change	2011	2010	Change
Revenue passenger miles
RPMs (in millions)	1,807	1,637	10.4%	17,011	15,124	12.5%
Available seat miles
ASMs (in millions)	2,153	2,008	7.2%	19,991	18,197	9.9%
Passenger load factor	83.9%	81.5%	2.4pts	85.1%	83.1%	2.0pts
Revenue passengers (in thousands)	1,446	1,340	7.9%	13,479	12,373	8.9%
On-time arrivals as reported
to U.S. DOT	91.7%	90.5%	1.2pts	88.5%	88.8%	(0.3)pts

HORIZON AIR

Horizon reported a 16.6 percent decline in traffic on a 20.1 percent decline in capacity compared to September 2010. This resulted in a 3.3-point increase in load factor to a September record of 79.3 percent. Horizon also reported 92.6 percent of its flights arrived on time, a September record compared to the 86.8 percent reported in September 2010. The significant decline in capacity and traffic for Horizon from the prior year is due primarily to the completion of Horizon's transition out of its CRJ-700 fleet and a corresponding reduction in the size of Horizon's operating fleet from 53 aircraft at Sept. 30, 2010, to 48 aircraft at Sept. 30, 2011. This transition was completed in June 2011.

The following table shows Horizon's operational results for September 2011 and year-to-date 2011, compared to the prior-year periods:

	September			Year-to-Date
	2011	2010	Change	2011	2010	Change
RPMs (in millions)	161	193	(16.6)%	1,635	1,857	(12.0)%
ASMs (in millions)	203	254	(20.1)%	2,097	2,461	(14.8)%
Passenger load factor	79.3%	76.0%	3.3pts	78.0%	75.5%	2.5pts
Revenue passengers (in thousands)	528	541	(2.4)%	5,020	5,116	(1.9)%
On-time arrivals	92.6%	86.8%	5.8pts	84.8%	87.2%	(2.4)pts

AIR GROUP (including flights operated by third parties)

On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 9.5 percent increase in traffic on a 6.1 percent increase in capacity compared to September 2010. This resulted in a 2.6-point increase in load factor to 83.5 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and Horizon, and those under capacity purchase arrangements with SkyWest and a small third-party carrier in the state of Alaska.

The following table shows the operational results for September 2011 and year-to-date 2011, compared to the prior-year periods:

	September			Year-to-Date
	2011	2010	Change	2011	2010	Change
RPMs (in millions)	2,007	1,833	9.5%	18,849	17,013	10.8%
ASMs (in millions)	2,404	2,266	6.1%	22,329	20,709	7.8%
Passenger load factor	83.5%	80.9%	2.6pts	84.4%	82.2%	2.2pts
Revenue passengers (in thousands)	2,018	1,881	7.3%	18,707	17,489	7.0%

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 Inc.