SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 2, 2001--Horizon Air announced today that it would add more service to Canada and serve several new cities from Seattle starting June 17 with its newest, most technologically advanced aircraft: the Bombardier Q400 high-speed turboprop. Starting June 17:

• Horizon will add a fifth flight each way between Seattle and Calgary, Alberta, and a fourth flight each way between Seattle and Edmonton, Alberta. In Calgary, three flights will be operated with F-28 jets, and two with new, 70-seat Q400s. All flights to Edmonton will continue to operate with F-28s.

• Kalispell, Mont., which is already served once a day with a Q400 and twice daily with F-28s, will be served twice daily with Q400s and once with an F-28. All flights to Kalispell will be nonstop from Seattle.

• All four flights to Pullman, Wash., and four of five flights to Lewiston, Idaho, will operate with the Q400. All four daily flights between Lewiston and Boise, Idaho, will continue to operate with 37-seat Q200 turboprops.

• Sun Valley's nonstop flight from Seattle will operate with a Q400. Starting July 8:

• In Butte and Bozeman, Mont., all flights will operate with Q400s. Starting July 22:

• All four flights to Missoula, Mont., will change from F-28s to Q400s. Starting Aug. 12:

• All three flights to Kalispell, Mont., will operate with Q400s.

• Two of eight flights to Boise, Idaho, will operate with Q400s.

• In Spokane, five of 12 nonstop Horizon flights will operate with Q400s.

By the end of August, most Horizon flights between Seattle and cities in Montana will be operated with Q400s in place of F-28s. Billings, Mont., will continue to be served from Seattle with F-28s, which will eventually be replaced with new 70-seat CRJ-700 regional jets. Also, F-28 jets will no longer depart from Seattle between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The Q400 is Horizon's newest and most technologically advanced aircraft, providing a new level of passenger comfort. In the bright and modern interior, passengers have generous leg room approaching that found in many first-class cabins. There is also ample storage space above and under the seats. Thanks to its sophisticated noise and vibration suppression system, the Q400 boasts the quietest turboprop cabin in the sky. And with a top cruising speed of 360 knots (420 mph), the Q400 can fly passengers in close to the same amount of time as the F-28 on most Horizon routes.

Horizon is the North America launch customer for the Q400, bringing the airline closer to its goal of becoming the regional airline with one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets in the United States. Horizon expects a total of 15 Q400 deliveries by the end of 2001 and holds an option for 15 more at a cost of about $18.5 million each.

Bombardier Aerospace is a unit of Bombardier Inc., Canada. Horizon Air serves 40 cities throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, and Alberta and British Columbia. Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, Inc. For more information and other news, visit Horizon Air's NewsRoom at http://newsroom.horizonair.com.

Note to Editors: Images of the Q400 in Horizon Air livery are available on Bombardier's photo gallery at: www.aerospace.bombardier.com/htmen/F12.htm.

--30--MRO/se*