Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air Pursue 'Greener Skies' Over Seattle

RNP and OPD are part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, the FAA's plan to modernize the National Airspace System through 2025. This initiative will increase airspace capacity and efficiency while improving safety and reducing environmental impacts through the replacement of legacy ground-based equipment with new satellite-based technology and aircraft navigation capabilities.

As part of the initial Alaska Airlines RNP operational approval team, Boeing began installing RNP guidance technology on its aircraft in 1994. Currently all Boeing production airplanes are RNP-capable, and solutions are available to upgrade the in-service fleet. The Boeing Company is continuing this pioneering tradition by working with Alaska Airlines, the FAA and the Port of Seattle in implementing RNP solutions and the Greener Skies program for Sea-Tac.

"Boeing is committed to working with Alaska Airlines and the Port of Seattle to increase efficiency in the way their airplanes approach and depart from Sea-Tac and other airports across the country," said Per Noren , director of Airport Infrastructure for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Using these advanced technology solutions, airlines around the world can save hundreds of pounds of fuel per flight, which is a significant step toward further reducing emissions from aviation."

Planning and testing of the procedures will continue through the remainder of the year. They will be integrated into Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air's commercial operations at Sea-Tac pending FAA approval, which the airlines hope to obtain in 2010.

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 . Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Network Carriers" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 and 2009 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at alaskaair.com/newsroom.

Note to news media: High-resolution images of the technology are available for download from the Alaska Airlines Newsroom image gallery at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom. Broadcast footage is also available by contacting Alaska Airlines Media Relations.

SOURCE Alaska Air Group