Alaska Air Group Reports November Operational Results

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Dec 04, 2013, 08:00 ET

SEATTLE, Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported November and year-to-date operational results for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and on a combined basis. Detailed information is provided below.

ALASKA AIRLINES - MAINLINE
Alaska reported a 1.5 percent increase in traffic on a 6.7 percent increase in capacity compared to November 2012. This resulted in a decrease in load factor of 4.2 points, to 82.2 percent. Alaska also reported 87.9 percent of its flights arrived on time in November, compared to the 87.3 percent reported in November 2012.

The following table shows Alaska's operational results for November and year-to-date 2013, compared to the prior-year periods:

	November						Year-to-Date
	2013		2012		Change		2013		2012		Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)	1,529		1,496		2.2	%	18,065		16,977		6.4	%
Revenue passenger miles RPM (in millions)	2,046		2,016		1.5	%	23,929		22,311		7.3	%
Available seat miles ASM (in millions)	2,490		2,333		6.7	%	27,861		25,740		8.2	%
Passenger load factor	82.2	%	86.4	%	(4.2) pt		85.9	%	86.7	%	(0.8) pts
On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT	87.9	%	87.3	%	0.6 pts		87.3	%	87.9	%	(0.6) pts

The late Thanksgiving negatively impacted load factors for Alaska, Horizon and Air Group in November. Returning holiday travel during the first few days of December should positively impact December load factors.

HORIZON AIR
Horizon reported a 2.9 percent decrease in traffic on a 0.1 percent decrease in capacity compared to November 2012. This resulted in a decrease in load factor of 2.4 points to 77.4 percent. Horizon also reported a record 90.7 percent of its flights arrived on time in November, compared to the 89.8 percent reported in November 2012.

The following table shows Horizon's operational results for November and year-to-date 2013, compared to the prior-year periods:

	November						Year-to-Date
	2013		2012		Change		2013		2012		Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)	562		569		(1.3)	%	6,478		6,195		4.6	%
RPMs (in millions)	169		175		(2.9)	%	1,977		1,910		3.5	%
ASMs (in millions)	219		219		(0.1)	%	2,452		2,443		0.4	%
Passenger load factor	77.4	%	79.8	%	(2.4) pts		80.6	%	78.2	%	2.4 pts
On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT	90.7	%	89.8	%	0.9 pts		88.8	%	91.5	%	(2.7) pts

AIR GROUP
On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 1.4 percent increase in traffic on a 6.5 percent increase in capacity compared to November 2012. This resulted in a decrease in load factor of 4.2 points to 81.7 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and those under capacity purchase agreements, including Horizon, SkyWest and PenAir.

The following table shows the operational results for November and year-to-date 2013, compared to the prior-year periods:

	November						Year-to-Date
	2013		2012		Change		2013		2012		Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)	2,145		2,113		1.5	%	25,064		23,715		5.7	%
RPMs (in millions)	2,263		2,232		1.4	%	26,352		24,683		6.8	%
ASMs (in millions)	2,769		2,599		6.5	%	30,836		28,716		7.4	%
Passenger load factor	81.7	%	85.9	%	(4.2) pts		85.5	%	86.0	%	(0.5) pts

Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together with its partner regional airlines, serves nearly 100 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines has ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates North America Airline Satisfaction Study^SM for six consecutive years from 2008 to 2013. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Air Group