Air Transport World Magazine Names Alaska Airlines 2011 Airline Technology Leadership Award Winner

SEATTLE, (PRNewswire/WorldTourismNews.eu) -- Alaska Airlines has been selected to receive the 2011 Airline Technology Leadership Award by Air Transport World, the leading monthly magazine covering the global airline industry. This is the second time Alaska has won the award, recognizing the airline's extensive track record of innovation in flight safety and airport operations, ticket distribution, and marketing and customer technology.

"In choosing Alaska Airlines to receive the Airline Technology Leadership Award, ATW is recognizing an airline that has been on the cutting edge of technology deployment in a multitude of areas for many years," ATW Editorial Director Perry Flint said.

Flint noted Alaska's commitment to operational efficiency and environmentally friendly technology. The airline pioneered the development and introduction of Required Navigation Performance, which is being adopted around the world and is a cornerstone of the Federal Aviation Administration's NextGen air traffic management system.

Editors at the magazine also commended Alaska's patented Airport of the Future in Anchorage and Seattle, which eliminated the traditional ticket counter and has reduced customer check-in times by as much as 90 percent. In addition, ATW noted Alaska Airlines' digEplayer handheld movie viewer, customer-friendly alaskaair.com website, mobile boarding passes and other innovations to make travel easier for passengers.

"We are extremely proud to receive this award," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "In addition to recognizing our airline's commitment to technology innovations, it also reflects directly on our employees' passionate dedication to efficiency, excellence and taking good care of our customers."

Alaska Airlines previously won Air Transport World's Airline Technology Leadership Award in 2003. ATW also recognized Alaska with its Financial Management Award in 1989 and named the carrier Airline of the Year in 1990. The 2011 awards will be presented on Feb. 8 in Washington, D.C., at Air Transport World's annual presentation dinner.

Air Transport World (www.ATWonline.com) is the leading monthly magazine serving the airline and commercial aircraft manufacturing and support industries. It launched its awards program in 1974.

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, 2009 and 2010 North America Airline Satisfaction Studies(SM). For reservations, visit www.alaskaair.com. For more news and information, visit the Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air Newsroom at www.alaskaair.com/newsroom .

SOURCE Alaska Airlines

CONTACT: Bobbie Egan, +1-206-392-5101, for Alaska Airlines

Web Site: https://www.ATWonline.com