MOSES LAKE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 2001--Horizon Air said today it will discontinue flights between Moses Lake and Seattle after July 28.

The announcement was made after the U.S. Department of Transportation selected Big Sky Airlines to serve the subsidized route under the government's Essential Air Service program starting July 29.

Horizon asked the DOT to seek another carrier to serve the route because the market has been unprofitable for Horizon for the last four years.

Over the next two weeks Horizon will be contacting customers with Moses Lake flight reservations after July 28 and reaccommodating them on other flights.

Horizon currently offers three daily flights to Seattle with 37-seat Q200 turboprops: two nonstop pursuant to the EAS contract plus one additional one-stop round trip. Big Sky Airlines said it will operate three nonstop flights to Seattle Monday-Friday and two flights on Saturday and Sunday. In addition, Big Sky will operate one daily flight between Moses Lake and Spokane. All flights will be operated with 19-passenger Fairchild Metro III and 23 aircraft.

Big Sky said it expects to secure a "code sharing" and frequent flyer program agreement with Horizon, Alaska Airlines and Northwest Airlines so that Moses Lake travelers can make easy connections at Seattle or Spokane and continue enjoying the convenience of flying with one ticket and one economical through fare to destinations throughout the west and around the world served by the three carriers.

Horizon Air has served Moses Lake since 1985. Last year Horizon boarded an average of 27 passengers a day from its facility at Grant County Airport. Horizon Air serves 40 cities throughout five states and two provinces in Canada. Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, Inc. For more information, visit http://newsroom.horizonair.com.

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