Alaska Air Group Reports January Operational Results

Published on Friday, 03 February 2012 08:26 Written by TradersHuddle Staff

SEATTLE, Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported January 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 6.4 percent increase in traffic on a 1.9 percent increase in capacity compared to January 2011. This resulted in a 3.5-point increase in load factor to a January record of 83.6 percent. Alaska also reported 79.0 percent of its flights arrived on time in January, despite the snow and ice storm in Seattle, where on-time performance was 33.1 percent on Jan. 18 and 24.5 percent on Jan. 19. The monthly on-time rate compares to 85.3 percent reported in January 2011.

The following table shows Alaska's operational results for January 2012, compared to the prior-year period:

HORIZON AIR

Horizon reported a 16.4 percent decline in January traffic on a 17.7 percent decline in capacity compared to January 2011. This resulted in a 1.2-point increase in load factor to a January record of 73.2 percent. Horizon also reported a record 84.4 percent of its flights arrived on time in January, in spite of on time performance of 25.9 percent on Jan. 18 and 17.9 percent on Jan. 19 during the peak of the storm. The monthly on-time rate compares to 77.0 percent reported in January 2011. The significant decline in capacity and traffic for Horizon from 2011 is due to the carrier's transition out of the Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet and a corresponding reduction in the size of Horizon's operating fleet from 56 aircraft at Jan. 31, 2011, to 48 aircraft at Jan. 31, 2012. This transition was completed in June 2011.

The following table shows Horizon's operational results for January 2012, compared to the prior-year periods:

AIR GROUP (including flights operated by third parties)

On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 5.9 percent increase in traffic on a 1.3 percent increase in capacity compared to January 2011. This resulted in a 3.5-point increase in load factor to 82.6 percent. These statistics include flights operated by Alaska and those under capacity purchase arrangements, including Horizon, SkyWest and PenAir.

The following table shows the operational results for January 2012, compared to the prior-year periods:

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK), together serve 93 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 Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Air Group, Inc.