SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 2001--Alaska Airlines officials said the airline plans to operate 100 percent of its intra-Alaska flights today, and is preparing to operate 100 percent of its flights tomorrow between Alaska and the Lower 48.

Alaska typically operates 140 flights per day to, from and within the 49th state -- approximately one-third of the airline's total daily departures.

"As the only major U.S. airline born and raised in the state of Alaska, we recognize the critical role air transportation plays in the lives of Alaskans," said Bill Ayer, the airline's president. "Consequently, one of our highest priorities now is getting service to, from and within Alaska back to normal as soon as possible."

That was evident Thursday as Alaska Airlines returned to service for the first time since the horrific events of earlier this week. Out of 38 flights the carrier scheduled Thursday, 22 of them involve Alaskan markets. And the first flight flown by the carrier was Flight 142, which departed Fairbanks for Anchorage at 11:10 a.m. local time with 39 passenger on board.

In related news, Alaska's request to the FAA seeking to resume operation of its nine Boeing 737-200 Combi aircraft in mixed passenger/cargo configurations was approved today by the federal agency. The airline also received approval from the FAA to carry cargo and mail to, from and within the state of Alaska under the strict new security directives issued earlier this week by the FAA. While those directives restrict commercial passenger flights from carrying cargo and mail, airlines serving Alaska and Hawaii were allowed to seek exemptions due to those states' dependence on aviation.

"Air cargo is literally the lifeline to many of the communities we serve in the state of Alaska," said Keola Pang-Ching, the airlines' director of cargo marketing. "Particularly for smaller communities, we keep groceries on the shelf and cash in the bank tills. We also play a critical role in transporting medicine and other necessary items to the towns."

Of the 550,000 pounds of cargo that Alaska Airlines carries each day, 70 percent is destined for the Great Land.

--30--RYG/se*