SEATTLE, Jan 4, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) today reported December passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

       ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska Airlines' December traffic decreased 5.1 percent to 990.3 million revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.044 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during December was 1.465 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 3.1 percent lower than the 1.512 billion in December 2000.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 67.6 percent, compared to 69.1 percent in December 2000. The airline carried 1,071,300 passengers compared to 1,153,100 in December 2000.

RPMs for the twelve-month period totaled 12.249 billion, a 2.2 percent increase from the 11.986 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the twelve months ended December 2001 increased 3.5 percent to 17.919 billion ASMs, compared to 17.315 billion in 2000.

The passenger load factor for the twelve months of 2001 was 68.4 percent, compared to 69.2 percent in 2000. The airline carried k13,667,600 passengers compared to 13,524,700 in 2000.

       HORIZON AIR

Horizon Air's December traffic decreased 10.7 percent to 108.6 million RPMs from 121.6 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for December was 168.7 million ASMs, 7.9 percent lower than last year's 183.1 million.

The passenger load factor for the month was 64.4 percent, compared to 66.5 percent last December. The airline carried 366,900 passengers compared to 417,800 in December 2000.

RPMs for the twelve-month period totaled 1.350 billion, a 5.5 percent decrease from the 1.428 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the twelve months ended December 2001 decreased 6.6 percent to 2.148 billion ASMs, compared to 2.299 billion in 2000.

The passenger load factor for the twelve months of 2001 was 62.9 percent, compared to 62.1 percent in 2000. The airline carried 4,668,300 passengers, compared to 5,044,300 in 2000.

CONTACT:          Alaska Air Group
                  Jack Evans, 206/433-3134

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