Alaska Airlines Pilots Approve New Four-Year Contract

SEATTLE, May 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The pilots of Alaska Airlines,
represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), have voted to
approve a new four-year contract. Of the 95 percent of pilots who voted, 84
percent did so in favor of the agreement.

Effective April 1, 2009, the new contract for Alaska's 1,455 pilots includes
pay increases, retirement options for current employees, and work rules that
provide increased flexibility for pilots and improved productivity for the
airline. The company's defined benefit pension plan will be closed to pilots
hired after ratification, reducing retirement funding risk. Pilots hired post
ratification will instead participate in a 401(k) program. Additionally,
pilots will participate in the same performance incentive program as the
airline's non-union employees, executives, dispatchers and flight attendants,
and will share equitably in health care costs.

"This pilot group, and pilots across our industry, have watched our pay,
benefits, job security and quality of life erode since 9/11," said Capt. Bill
Shivers, chairman of the Alaska Master Executive Council. "While this contract
doesn't restore everything, it does provide increases in pay and improvements
in our work schedule and retirement flexibility while allowing our company to
remain poised for success. We believe this is a positive step toward repairing
the relationship between this pilot group and our management so that we can
work together to achieve a company culture where everyone succeeds and
prospers together."

"We appreciate the hard work by everyone involved in helping us achieve this
multi-year agreement, which provides the right foundation for our pilots and
airline to succeed long term," Alaska Airlines President Brad Tilden said.
"I'd like to thank our pilots for maintaining their focus on safety and
providing great customer service throughout a long negotiation process."

ALPA and Alaska Airlines began contract negotiations in January 2007 and
reached a tentative agreement last month. The pilots' last contract, awarded
by an arbitrator in May 2005, cut pilot pay by 21 percent to 35 percent.

ALPA represents nearly 54,000 pilots at 36 airlines in the U.S. and Canada,
among them the 1,455 pilots of Alaska Airlines, including the 60 pilots
currently on furlough. For more information, visit www.alaPilots.com.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK),
together serve more than 90 cities through an expansive network in Alaska, the
Lower 48, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico. For reservations, visit alaskaair.com.
For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom
at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Alaska Airlines

Jenn Farrell or David Campbell, both of ALPA, +1-206-241-3138; or Bobbie Egan
or Paul McElroy, both of Alaska Airlines, +1-206-392-5101