SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2001--Alaska Airlines has become the nation's first airline to provide assistance to its Web-site customers through instant messaging technology.

Users of its top-ranked Web site, alaskaair.com, can now access immediate on-line communication with the airline's Web Help Center. Horizonair.com, the Web site of Alaska's sister airline, Horizon Air, is also using the technology.

"We design alaskaair.com with simplicity in mind, but we also provide a wide array of services to customers with varying technical abilities," said Steve Jarvis, the carrier's staff vice president of e-commerce. "Instant messaging helps customers by providing real-time assistance without picking up the telephone."

Alaska worked with application service provider FaceTime Communications for the implementation of the instant-messaging technology.

Links to the text-based instant messaging are found at strategic locations on the Web site where customers are most likely to have questions regarding the site. Customers can access the instant messaging text box by clicking on the provided link, eliminating the need to download software.

The instant messaging service is particularly useful for customers who have a single line for both Internet and telephone use. They will be able to communicate immediately with the Alaska/Horizon Web Help Center without having to interrupt their Internet connection to make a phone call.

The help center also can assist customers by "pushing" a page or redirecting the customer's browser to a particular Web page. This helps alaskaair.com users by allowing the help center to make a Web page appear on the customer's monitor without the customer having to search for the page.

"Instant messaging is a powerful communications channel for businesses," said Glen Vondrick, CEO at FaceTime Communications. "The Alaska Airlines implementation further demonstrates that instant messaging is an integral part of critical customer communications."

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air became the first U.S. carriers to sell tickets online in 1995 and in 1999 were the first U.S. carriers to allow customers to check in for flights online via the Internet. Earlier this year, they introduced wireless check in. Together they serve 75 cities in the Lower 48, Alaska, Canada and Mexico, with more than 1,000 daily departures. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom on the Internet at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com.

FaceTime Communications is the leading supplier of instant messaging (IM) applications for businesses. FaceTime's Instant Message Director leverages interoperability with consumer IM networks such as AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo, resulting in communications channels that improve customer service and reduce costs. For more information, visit www.facetime.com or contact FaceTime via IM screen name FaceTimeLive.

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