Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) today reported August passenger traffic for its subsidiaries, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.
Alaska Airlines -

Alaska Airlines` August traffic increased 11.9 percent to 1.534 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) from 1.371 billion flown a year earlier. Capacity during August was 1.988 billion available seat miles (ASMs), 9.4 percent higher than the 1.817 billion in August 2002.
The passenger load factor (the percentage of available seats occupied by fare-paying passengers) for the month was 77.1 percent, compared to 75.5 percent in August 2002. The airline carried 1,584,200 passengers compared to 1,481,200 in August 2002.
RPMs for the eight-month period totaled 9.861 billion, a 9.2 percent increase from the 9.029 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the eight months ended August 2003 increased 6.8 percent to 13.906 billion ASMs, compared to 13.023 billion in 2002.
The passenger load factor for the first eight months of 2003 was 70.9 percent, compared to 69.3 percent in 2002. The airline carried 10,190,400 passengers compared to 9,690,700 in 2002.
Horizon Air -

Horizon Air`s August traffic increased 7.2 percent to 168.6 million RPMs from 157.2 million flown a year earlier. Capacity for August was 244.9 million ASMs, 6.1 percent higher than last year`s 230.9 million.
The passenger load factor for the month was 68.8 percent, compared to 68.1 percent last August. The airline carried 490,500 passengers compared to 488,500 in August 2002.
RPMs for the eight months ended August 2003 totaled 1.093 billion, an 8.7 percent increase from the 1.005 billion recorded a year earlier. Capacity for the eight-month period increased 9.0 percent to 1.738 billion ASMs, compared to 1.594 billion in 2002.
The passenger load factor for the first eight months of 2003 was 62.9 percent, compared to 63.0 percent in 2002. The airline carried 3,268,500 passengers, compared to 3,221,600 in 2002.

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