SEATTLE, Jan. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air
Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported December and full-year
operational results on a combined basis, for its subsidiaries
Alaska Airlines, Inc. (Alaska) and
Virgin America Inc., (Virgin America), and for its regional flying
operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries, Inc. and third-party
regional carriers, SkyWest Airlines and PenAir (Regional). Detailed
information is provided below.
Air Group's acquisition of Virgin America took place on
Dec. 14, 2016. Operational results
below include full period-to-date results from Virgin America for
both the current period and the prior period for comparison.
AIR GROUP
On a combined basis, Air Group reported a 5.6 percent increase in
traffic on a 5.0 percent increase in capacity compared to
December 2015. Load factor increased
0.5 points to 83.1 percent. These statistics include flights
operated by Alaska, Virgin
America, Horizon, and those under third-party capacity purchase
agreements.
The following table shows the operational results for
December(1) and full-year 2016(1), compared
to the prior-year periods(2):
|
December
|
|
Full
Year
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
Revenue passengers
(in thousands)
|
3,509
|
|
3,361
|
|
4.4%
|
|
41,945
|
|
38,919
|
|
7.8%
|
Revenue passenger
miles RPM (in millions)
|
4,125
|
|
3,905
|
|
5.6%
|
|
48,754
|
|
44,014
|
|
10.8%
|
Available seat miles
ASM (in millions)
|
4,962
|
|
4,726
|
|
5.0%
|
|
57,951
|
|
52,605
|
|
10.2%
|
Passenger load
factor
|
83.1%
|
|
82.6%
|
|
0.5 pts
|
|
84.1%
|
|
83.7%
|
|
0.4 pts
|
(1)
|
2016 information
includes full period-to-date Virgin America operating
results.
|
(2)
|
2015 information has
been adjusted to include Virgin America operating results for
comparison purposes.
|
ALASKA AIRLINES
Alaska reported a 4.2 percent
increase in traffic on a 2.5 percent increase in capacity compared
to December 2015. Load factor
increased 1.4 points to 85.0 percent. Alaska also reported 76.1 percent of its
flights arrived on time in December, compared to the 85.3 percent
reported in December 2015.
The following table shows Alaska's operational results for December and
full-year 2016, compared to the prior-year periods:
|
December
|
|
Full
Year
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
Revenue passengers
(in thousands)
|
2,052
|
|
1,965
|
|
4.4%
|
|
24,421
|
|
22,869
|
|
6.8%
|
RPMs (in
millions)
|
2,806
|
|
2,694
|
|
4.2%
|
|
32,859
|
|
30,340
|
|
8.3%
|
ASMs (in
millions)
|
3,302
|
|
3,221
|
|
2.5%
|
|
38,715
|
|
35,912
|
|
7.8%
|
Passenger load
factor
|
85.0%
|
|
83.6%
|
|
1.4 pts
|
|
84.9%
|
|
84.5%
|
|
0.4 pts
|
On-time arrivals as
reported to U.S. DOT(1)
|
76.1%
|
|
85.3%
|
|
(9.2) pts
|
|
87.3%
|
|
86.4%
|
|
0.9 pts
|
(1)
|
Winter storms in the
Pacific Northwest caused the year-over-year decline in on-time
performance in the month of December.
|
VIRGIN AMERICA
Virgin America traffic increased 9.0 percent on an 11.0 percent
increase in capacity compared to December
2015. Load factor decreased (1.4) points to 79.2 percent.
Virgin America also reported 70.2 percent of its flights arrived on
time in December, compared to 71.1 percent in December 2015.
The following table shows Virgin America operational results for
December and full-year 2016, compared to the prior-year
periods:
|
December
|
|
Full
Year
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
Revenue passengers
(in thousands)
|
675
|
|
629
|
|
7.3%
|
|
8,073
|
|
7,036
|
|
14.7%
|
RPMs (in
millions)
|
1,013
|
|
929
|
|
9.0%
|
|
12,175
|
|
10,436
|
|
16.7%
|
ASMs (in
millions)
|
1,279
|
|
1,152
|
|
11.0%
|
|
14,575
|
|
12,691
|
|
14.8%
|
Passenger load
factor
|
79.2%
|
|
80.6%
|
|
(1.4) pts
|
|
83.5%
|
|
82.2%
|
|
1.3 pts
|
On-time arrivals as
reported to U.S. DOT
|
70.2%
|
|
71.1%
|
|
(0.9) pts
|
|
76.8%
|
|
79.9%
|
|
(3.1) pts
|
REGIONAL FLYING
Regional traffic increased 8.5 percent on an 8.2 percent increase
in capacity compared to December
2015. Load factor increased 0.2 points to 80.3 percent.
Regional also reported 61.6 percent of its flights arrived on time
in December, compared to the 68.8 percent reported in December 2015.
The following table shows regional operational results for
December and full-year 2016, compared to the prior-year
periods:
|
December
|
|
Full
Year
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
|
2016
|
|
2015
|
|
Change
|
Revenue passengers
(in thousands)
|
782
|
|
767
|
|
2.0%
|
|
9,451
|
|
9,015
|
|
4.8%
|
RPMs (in
millions)
|
306
|
|
282
|
|
8.5%
|
|
3,720
|
|
3,238
|
|
14.9%
|
ASMs (in
millions)
|
381
|
|
352
|
|
8.2%
|
|
4,661
|
|
4,001
|
|
16.5%
|
Passenger load
factor
|
80.3%
|
|
80.1%
|
|
0.2 pts
|
|
79.8%
|
|
80.9%
|
|
(1.1) pts
|
On-time
arrivals(1)
|
61.6%
|
|
68.8%
|
|
(7.2) pts
|
|
85.2%
|
|
83.4%
|
|
1.8 pts
|
(1)
|
Winter storms in the
Pacific Northwest caused the year-over-year decline in on-time
performance in the month of December.
|
Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional
partners, flies 40 million customers a year to 118 destinations
with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa
Rica and Cuba. With
Alaska and Alaska Global Partners,
customers can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900
destinations worldwide. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched
reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com.
Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of
Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-air-group-reports-december-2016-and-full-year-operational-results-300388236.html
SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.