Alaska Airlines Stabilizes Flight Operations.

Business Editors

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 2001

Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK) says it has increased operations to 75 percent of its normal schedule.

The carrier is now operating flights to all airports it normally serves, with the exception of Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., which remains closed following last week's tragic events. Today, Alaska resumed service to its international destinations in Mexico and Canada.

"We hope that within a few weeks we will be able to increase service to about 80 to 85 percent of the normally scheduled flights," said Bill Ayer, Alaska Airline's president and chief operating officer. "After that, we will evaluate the prospects of further long-term adjustments. Our goal right now is to return to a reliable schedule that our employees and passengers can count on."

Since resuming operations, Alaska's flight loads have averaged between 65 and 70 percent. By Sunday, the carrier's operations had normalized sufficiently to achieve an 82 percent on-time performance rate.

For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines Newsroom on the Internet at http://newsroom.alaskaair.com.