Horizon Air Company Facts: Overview
Information as of April 2009

Horizon Air was formed to satisfy the need created when, after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, larger airlines abandoned routes within the Northwest. To fill this market niche, entrepreneur Milt Kuolt and a group of venture capitalists founded Horizon in Seattle in September 1981. Horizon brought together several dozen enthusiastic employees and a fleet consisting of two leased Fairchild F-27 turboprop aircraft to begin service between Yakima, Pasco and Seattle.

In the early 1980s, the airline grew quickly, acquiring Air Oregon and Utah-based Transwestern Airlines. In 1984, Horizon went public. By 1986, the company's proven track record attracted the attention of larger airlines. That year, Horizon was acquired by Seattle-based Alaska Air Group, Inc., a holding company that included Alaska Airlines. While remaining independently managed, Horizon gained the competitive advantage of connections with sister carrier Alaska Airlines and partnership in the Mileage Plan frequent flier program. Along with Alaska, Horizon also codeshares with a wide range of other airline partners.

Today, Horizon is about 3,750 employees strong and serves 47 cities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Baja California Sur (Mexico) and Alberta and British Columbia (Canada).

Horizon was recognized by the editors of Air Transport World magazine as Regional Airline of Year in 2007. The company is also the highest ranked regional airline in Condé Nast Traveler Magazine's Business Travel Awards and one of the top 10 domestic airlines named by Travel + Leisure Magazine.

Horizon has a general office in Seattle. Its primary maintenance base is in Portland, Ore., with additional maintenance facilities in Boise, Idaho; Seattle; Pasco, Wash.; and Spokane, Wash.

Notes: Monthly passenger traffic and quarterly financial information
can be found in Archived News Releases.