SEATTLE, April 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported March and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis for its mainline operations flown 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 6.5 percent increase in traffic on a 7.2 percent increase in capacity compared to March 2017. Load factor decreased 0.5 points to 84.9 percent.

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


March


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

3,920


3,737


4.9%


10,489


10,008


4.8%

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

4,654


4,369


6.5%


12,403


11,707


5.9%

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

5,485


5,116


7.2%


15,480


14,394


7.5%

Passenger load factor

84.9%


85.4%


(0.5) pts


80.1%


81.3%


(1.2) pts

MAINLINE

Mainline reported a 5.4 percent increase in traffic on a 6 percent increase in capacity compared to March 2017. Load factor decreased 0.5 points to 85.4 percent. Mainline also reported 81.9 percent of its flights arrived on time in March 2018, compared to 75.9 percent reported in March 2017.

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


March


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

3,085


2,906


6.2%


8,211


7,774


5.6%

RPMs (000,000)

4,256


4,039


5.4%


11,360


10,827


4.9%

ASMs (000,000)

4,985


4,704


6.0%


14,098


13,260


6.3%

Passenger load factor

85.4%


85.9%


(0.5) pts


80.6%


81.7%


(1.1) pts

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

81.9%


75.9%


6.0 pts


84.4%


74.6%


9.8 pts

REGIONAL

Regional traffic increased 20.6 percent on a 21.4 percent increase in capacity compared to March 2017. Load factor decreased 0.4 points to 79.7 percent. Alaska's regional partners also reported 86.7 percent of its flights arrived on time in March 2018, compared to 84.2 percent in March 2017.

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


March


Year-to-Date


2018


2017


Change


2018


2017


Change

Revenue passengers (000)

835


831


0.5%


2,278


2,234


2.0%

RPMs (000,000)

398


330


20.6%


1,043


880


18.5%

ASMs (000,000)

500


412


21.4%


1,382


1,134


21.9%

Passenger load factor

79.7%


80.1%


(0.4) pts


75.5%


77.6%


(2.1) pts

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

86.7%


84.2%


2.5 pts


86.2%


72.6%


13.6 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. Learn 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.