SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 2001--Horizon Air recently took delivery of its first 70-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet.

Horizon is the first airline in North America to operate the CRJ-700, one of the world's quietest commercially operated jet aircraft. The CRJ-700 has far less noise and fuel emissions than allowed by even the most environmentally sensitive airports. The CRJ-700's cabin features stand-up headroom, two seats on either side of the aisle, and roomy overhead storage bins.

Delivery of this first CRJ-700 is an important step toward Horizon's goal to become the regional airline with one of the youngest, most efficient fleets in the skies. Horizon expects 14 CRJ-700s by mid-2002, with another 16 scheduled to arrive by 2005. The entire order is valued in excess of $600 million.

Horizon's CRJ-700s are powered by two rear-mounted General Electric CF34-8C1 jet engines. It flies at a top speed of 544 mph with a range of 2,283 miles and a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. State-of-the-art technology is evident throughout the aircraft. The cockpit will be equipped with Flight Dynamic's "Fog Buster" Head-Up Guidance system for superior reliability in foggy weather, a technology Horizon pioneered for regional airlines in 1995.

After FAA certification and a series of proving runs, the aircraft is expected to enter substitute service in mid-summer and regularly scheduled service by mid-September. Specific routes have not been finalized, but as CRJ-700's arrive, Horizon will gradually retire its entire fleet of Fokker 28-4000 jets.

Bombardier Aerospace is a unit of Bombardier, Inc., and is based in Canada. Horizon Air serves 40 cities throughout five Western states, Alberta and British Columbia. Readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine recently voted Horizon the nation's best regional airline and its sister carrier, Alaska Airlines, the nation's best major airline. 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.

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