SEATTLE, Mar 5, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) today reported February passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

    ALASKA AIRLINES

Alaska Airlines' February traffic increased 3.0 percent to 925.8 million revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 898.4 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during February was 1.413 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 3.1 percent higher than the 1.371 billion in February 2001.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 65.5 percent, the same as in February 2001. The airline carried 997,100 passengers compared to 997,300 in February 2001.

"Our traffic is responding to our low fares and strong West Coast franchise," said Bill Ayer, Alaska Airlines' president and chief executive officer.

RPMs for the two-month period totaled 1.819 billion, a 1.8 percent increase from the 1.788 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the two months ended February 2002 decreased 1.1 percent to 2.844 billion ASMs, compared to 2.874 billion in 2001.

The passenger load factor for the first two months of 2002 was 64.0 percent, compared to 62.2 percent in 2001. The airline carried 1,961,000 passengers compared to 1,983,100 in 2001.

    HORIZON AIR

Horizon Air's February traffic increased 0.1 percent to 105.1 million RPMs from 105.0 million flown a year earlier. Capacity during February was 171.8 million ASMs, 2.5 percent higher than last year's 167.6 million.

The passenger load factor for the month was 61.2 percent, compared to 62.7 percent last February. The airline carried 348,100 passengers compared to 368,600 in February 2001.

RPMs for the two-month period totaled 205.0 million, a 4.2 percent decrease from the 214.0 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the two months ended February 2002 decreased 2.9 percent to 343.6 million ASMs, compared to 353.8 million in 2001.

The passenger load factor for the first two months of 2002 was 59.7 percent, compared to 60.5 percent in 2001. The airline carried 689,000 passengers, compared to 751,900 in 2001.

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

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