SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 5, 2001--Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) today reported March passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines' March traffic increased 6.6 percent to 1.107 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.039 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during March was 1.554 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 4.0 percent higher than the 1.494 billion in March 2000.

The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare paying passengers) for the month was 71.3 percent, up from 69.5 percent in March 2000. The airline carried 1,214,900 passengers compared to 1,159,400 in March 2000.

RPMs for the three-month period totaled 2.895 billion, a 2.9 percent increase from the 2.814 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the three months ended March 2001 increased 4.6 percent to 4.428 billion ASMs, up from 4.231 billion in 2000.

The passenger load factor for the first three months of 2001 was

• 65.4 percent, down from 66.6 percent in 2000. The airline carried 3,198,000 passengers, compared to 3,167,700 in 2000.

Horizon Air

Horizon Air's March traffic increased 4.2 percent to 121.7 million RPMs from 116.8 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for March was 189.5 million ASMs, up slightly from last year's 189.4 million.

The passenger load factor for the month was 64.2 percent, compared to 61.7 percent last March. The airline carried 425,400 passengers compared to 422,900 in March 2000.

RPMs for the three-month period totaled 335.7 million, a 2.0 percent increase from the 329.3 million recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the three months ended March 2001 decreased 1.4 percent to 543.2 million ASMs, down from 551.2 million in 2000.

The passenger load factor for the first three months of 2001 was

• 61.8 percent, up from 59.7 percent in 2000. The airline carried 1,177,300 passengers, compared to 1,190,500 in 2000.

--30--kmw/se*

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