Attached files

file filename
EX-99.2 - JANUARY 18, 2017 ABBREVIATED INVESTOR UPDATE - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alkex992abbrinvestorupdate.htm
8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP FORM 8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alk8-kpressrelease01182017.htm


Exhibit 99.1
newheader.jpg

January 10, 2017

Media Contact:
or
Investor contact:
Media Relations
 
Lavanya Sareen
(206) 304-0008
 
Managing Director of Investor Relations
newsroom@alaskaair.com
 
(206) 392-5656


Alaska Air Group Reports December 2016 and Full-Year Operational Results

SEATTLE - Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported December and full-year operational results on a combined basis, for its subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America Inc., (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries, Inc. and third-party regional carriers, SkyWest Airlines and PenAir (Regional). Detailed information is provided below.
Air Group's acquisition of Virgin America took place on December 14, 2016. Operational results below include full period-to-date results from Virgin America for both the current period and the prior period for comparative purposes.

AIR GROUP
On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 5.6 percent increase in traffic on a 5.0 percent increase in capacity compared to December 2015. Load factor increased 0.5 points to 83.1 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska, Virgin America, Horizon, and those under third-party capacity purchase agreements.
The following table shows the operational results for December(1) and full-year 2016(1), compared to the prior-year periods(2):
 
December
 
Full Year
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)
3,509
 
3,361
 
4.4%
 
41,945
 
38,919
 
7.8%
Revenue passenger miles RPM (in millions)
4,125
 
3,905
 
5.6%
 
48,754
 
44,014
 
10.8%
Available seat miles ASM (in millions)
4,962
 
4,726
 
5.0%
 
57,951
 
52,605
 
10.2%
Passenger load factor
83.1%
 
82.6%
 
0.5 pts
 
84.1%
 
83.7%
 
0.4 pts
(1)
2016 information includes full period-to-date Virgin America operating results.
(2)
2015 information has been adjusted to include Virgin America operating results for comparability purposes.

-more-







-2-

ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska reported a 4.2 percent increase in traffic on a 2.5 percent increase in capacity compared to December 2015. Load factor increased 1.4 points to 85.0 percent. Alaska also reported 76.1 percent of its flights arrived on time in December, compared to the 85.3 percent reported in December 2015.
The following table shows Alaska's operational results for December and full-year 2016, compared to the prior-year periods:
 
December
 
Full Year
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)
2,052
 
1,965
 
4.4%
 
24,421
 
22,869
 
6.8%
RPMs (in millions)
2,806
 
2,694
 
4.2%
 
32,859
 
30,340
 
8.3%
ASMs (in millions)
3,302
 
3,221
 
2.5%
 
38,715
 
35,912
 
7.8%
Passenger load factor
85.0%
 
83.6%
 
1.4 pts
 
84.9%
 
84.5%
 
0.4 pts
On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT(1)
76.1%
 
85.3%
 
(9.2) pts
 
87.3%
 
86.4%
 
0.9 pts
(1)
Winter storms in the Pacific Northwest caused the year-over-year decline in on-time performance in the month of December.

VIRGIN AMERICA
Virgin America traffic increased 9.0 percent on an 11.0 percent increase in capacity compared to December 2015. Load factor decreased (1.4) points to 79.2 percent. Virgin America also reported 70.2 percent of its flights arrived on time in December, compared to 71.1 percent in December 2015.
The following table shows Virgin America operational results for December and full-year 2016, compared to the prior-year periods:

 
December
 
Full Year
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)
675
 
629
 
7.3%
 
8,073
 
7,036
 
14.7%
RPMs (in millions)
1,013
 
929
 
9.0%
 
12,175
 
10,436
 
16.7%
ASMs (in millions)
1,279
 
1,152
 
11.0%
 
14,575
 
12,691
 
14.8%
Passenger load factor
79.2%
 
80.6%
 
(1.4) pts
 
83.5%
 
82.2%
 
1.3 pts
On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT
70.2%
 
71.1%
 
(0.9) pts
 
76.8%
 
79.9%
 
(3.1) pts






-more-



-3-







REGIONAL FLYING
Regional traffic increased 8.5 percent on an 8.2 percent increase in capacity compared to December 2015. Load factor increased 0.2 points to 80.3 percent. Regional also reported 61.6 percent of its flights arrived on time in December, compared to the 68.8 percent reported in December 2015.
The following table shows regional operational results for December and full-year 2016, compared to the prior-year periods:
 
December
 
Full Year
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
 
2016
 
2015
 
Change
Revenue passengers (in thousands)
782
 
767
 
2.0%
 
9,451
 
9,015
 
4.8%
RPMs (in millions)
306
 
282
 
8.5%
 
3,720
 
3,238
 
14.9%
ASMs (in millions)
381
 
352
 
8.2%
 
4,661
 
4,001
 
16.5%
Passenger load factor
80.3%
 
80.1%
 
0.2 pts
 
79.8%
 
80.9%
 
(1.1) pts
On-time arrivals(1)
61.6%
 
68.8%
 
(7.2) pts
 
85.2%
 
83.4%
 
1.8 pts
(1) 
Winter storms in the Pacific Northwest caused the year-over-year decline in on-time performance in the month of December.
    
Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million customers a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, customers can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Learn more about Alaska’s award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

# # #