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8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC. FORM 8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alk8-k010512.htm
EX-99.2 - JANUARY 5, 2012 INVESTOR UPDATE - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alkex992investorupdate0105.htm
Exhibit 99.1


Media Contact:
or
Investor/analyst contact:
Bobbie Egan
 
Chris Berry
Media Relations Manager
 
Managing Director of Investor Relations
(206) 392-5134
 
(206) 392-5260

Jan 5, 2012

Alaska Air Group Reports December and Year-End Operational Results


SEATTLE - Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported December and year-end operational results for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, and on a combined basis. Detailed information is provided below.

ALASKA AIRLINES - MAINLINE
Alaska reported a 6.2 percent increase in traffic on a 4.0 percent increase in capacity compared to December 2010. This resulted in a 1.8-point increase in load factor to a December record of 87.4 percent. Alaska also reported a record 85.4 percent of its flights arrived on time in December, compared to the 80.9 percent reported in December 2010. For the full-year 2011, Alaska reported a record load factor of 85.2 percent, carried a record 17.8 million passengers and operated a record 88.2 percent of its flights on time.
The following table shows Alaska's operational results for December and full-year 2011, compared to the prior-year periods:
 
December
Full Year
 
2011

2010

Change

2011

2010

Change

Revenue passengers (in thousands)
1,485

1,440

3.1
%
17,810

16,514

7.8
%
Revenue passenger miles
    RPM (in millions)
1,941

1,827

6.2
%
22,586

20,350

11.0
%
Available seat miles
    ASM (in millions)
2,220

2,135

4.0
%
26,517

24,434

8.5
%
Passenger load factor
87.4
%
85.6
%
1.8 pts

85.2
%
83.3
%
1.9 pts

On-time arrivals as reported
    to U.S. DOT
85.4
%
80.9
%
4.5 pts

88.2
%
87.5
%
0.7 pts


 







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HORIZON AIR
Horizon reported a 17.5 percent decline in December traffic on a 17.6 percent decline in capacity compared to December 2010. This resulted in a 0.1-point increase in load factor to a December record of 78.7 percent and full-year record of 78.2 percent. Horizon also reported a record 90.2 percent of its flights arrived on time in December, compared to the 67.6 percent reported in December 2010. The significant decline in capacity and traffic for Horizon from the prior year is due primarily to the completion of Horizon's transition out of the CRJ-700 regional jet and a corresponding reduction in the size of Horizon's operating fleet from 54 aircraft at Dec 31, 2010, to 48 aircraft at Dec 31, 2011. This transition was completed in June 2011.
The following table shows Horizon's operational results for December and full-year 2011, compared to the prior-year periods:
 
December
Full Year
 
2011

2010

Change

2011

2010

Change

Revenue passengers (in thousands)
562

594

(5.4
)%
6,641

6,820

(2.6
)%
RPMs (in millions)
170

206

(17.5
)%
2,131

2,450

(13.0
)%
ASMs (in millions)
216

262

(17.6
)%
2,726

3,235

(15.7
)%
Passenger load factor
78.7
%
78.6
%
0.1 pts

78.2
%
75.7
%
2.5 pts

On-time arrivals
90.2
%
67.6
%
22.6 pts

86.1
%
84.1
%
2.0 pts


AIR GROUP (including flights operated by third parties)
On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 5.5 percent increase in traffic on a 3.6 percent increase in capacity compared to December 2010. This resulted in a 1.6-point increase in load factor to 86.4 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and those under capacity purchase arrangements, including Horizon, SkyWest and a small third-party carrier in the state of Alaska.
The following table shows the operational results for December and full-year 2011, compared to the prior-year periods:
 
December
Full Year
 
2011

2010

Change

2011

2010

Change

Revenue passengers (in thousands)
2,094

2,033

3.0
%
24,790

23,334

6.2
%
RPMs (in millions)
2,149

2,037

5.5
%
25,032

22,841

9.6
%
ASMs (in millions)
2,488

2,402

3.6
%
29,627

27,736

6.8
%
Passenger load factor
86.4
%
84.8
%
1.6 pts

84.5
%
82.4
%
2.1 pts









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Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers” in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 North America Airline Satisfaction StudiesSM. For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.
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