SEATTLE, March 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported February operational results on a consolidated basis, for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America Inc. (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries Inc. (Horizon) and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

On Jan. 11, 2018, Alaska and Virgin America consolidated their operations onto a Single Operating Certificate (SOC). Results for Alaska and Virgin America have been combined into a single mainline operation.

AIR GROUP
On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 7.9 percent increase in traffic on a 9 percent increase in capacity compared to February 2017. Load factor decreased 0.8 points to 79.4 percent.

The following table shows the operational results for February and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:


February


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

3,229


3,029


6.6%


6,571


6,270


4.8%

Revenue passenger miles RPM (000,000) "traffic"

3,778


3,503


7.9%


7,750


7,339


5.6%

Available seat miles ASM (000,000) "capacity"

4,758


4,366


9.0%


9,994


9,277


7.7%

Passenger load factor

79.4%


80.2%


(0.8) pts


77.5%


79.1%


(1.6) pts

MAINLINE
Mainline reported a 7.1 percent increase in traffic on an 8.1 percent increase in capacity compared to February 2017. Load factor decreased 0.7 points to 79.7 percent. Mainline also reported 84.3 percent of its flights arrived on time in February 2018, compared to 73.9 percent reported in February 2017.

Mainline operational results reflect both Alaska and Virgin America combined. The following table shows mainline operational results for February and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:


February


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

2,531


2,345


7.9%


5,126


4,867


5.3%

RPMs (000,000)

3,462


3,232


7.1%


7,105


6,789


4.7%

ASMs (000,000)

4,345


4,020


8.1%


9,113


8,555


6.5%

Passenger load factor

79.7%


80.4%


(0.7) pts


78.0%


79.4%


(1.4) pts

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

84.3%


73.9%


10.4 pts


85.7%


73.8%


11.9 pts

REGIONAL
Regional traffic increased 16.6 percent on a 19.4 percent increase in capacity compared to February 2017. Load factor decreased 1.8 points to 76.5 percent. Alaska's regional partners also reported 85.3 percent of its flights arrived on time in February 2018, compared to 69.6 percent in February 2017.

The following table shows regional operational results for February and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:


February


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

698


684


2.0%


1,445


1,403


3.0%

RPMs (000,000)

316


271


16.6%


645


550


17.3%

ASMs (000,000)

413


346


19.4%


881


722


22.0%

Passenger load factor

76.5%


78.3%


(1.8) pts


73.2%


76.2%


(3.0) pts

On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT

85.3%


69.6%


15.7 pts


85.8%


66.9%


18.9 pts

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 44 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to 2017. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

 

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SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.