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  • Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP

  • Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity

  • In 2012, U.S. airlines moved more than 48,000 tons of cargo per day

  • In 2012, the value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air averaged 121 times the value exported by sea

  • For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry

  • Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket

  • In 2011, U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo using 10 percent less fuel than in 2000

  • Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions

  • From 2000-2011, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 11% while transporting 16% more passengers and cargo

  • From 1975-2011, U.S. airlines and their partners reduced significant noise exposure by 99%

  • Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States

  • In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s

  • From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 81.9%

  • From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines reduced the flight cancellation rate sharply from 3.30% to 1.29%

  • Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2012, U.S. CPI rose 33% while average domestic fare rose just 14%

  • Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic airfare fell 15% from 2000

  • 2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion

  • In 2012, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $427B

  • In 2012, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $39.5B, driving a $5.1B trade surplus

  • In 2012, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent more than $50B on fuel, averaging 36% of operating expenses

  • In 2012, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded

  • FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2027

  • In 2012, US airlines flew 83.4 million passengers in scheduled international service - a record high

  • In 2012, the total value of merchandise exported from or imported to the United States by air exceeded $927 billion

  • In 2012, 7.15 teragrams of merchandise was exported from or imported to the United States by air

 Customers - Passenger

Customers queued at ticket desk

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>> Passenger
The airline industry is committed to providing quality customer service to the several million passengers who travel daily – safely, efficiently and economically. Good customer service assures returning customers, and we know that customer satisfaction is a clear sign that the business is operating smoothly and efficiently. This section provides useful reference information for passengers for planning, preparation and travel, as well as passenger-related regulatory and governmental activities. Passenger travel tips, special information related to traveling with pets and other information is included, as well as the A4A member customer service commitments.
 
Traveling with Batteries & Electronics
Information to assist passengers in traveling with battery-powered devices. 
 
Passenger Travel Tips
This resource page is available to assist passengers as they plan and prepare to depart for travel.
 
Air Travel for Your Pet
document is designed to provide general guidelines to assist customers with safely transporting their pets by air. 

A4A Projects Increase in Summer Travel as Record Number of Customers Fly Internationally (5/16/2013)
A4A reported overall financial performance improves from first quarter 2012, more people will fly this summer than a year ago, and a record number of passengers will fly internationally.
A4A Supports Meehan Amendment Requiring Competitive Impact Review of CBP Preclearance Facility Agreements (5/15/2013)
A4A applauds Meehan Amendment Requiring Competitive Impact Review of CBP Preclearance Facility Agreements.
Airlines for America Commends House Passage of the “Reducing Flight Delays Act” (4/26/2013)
A4A commended leadership in the U.S. House for passing the "Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013"
Airlines for America Commends Senate for Passing Measure to End Air Traffic Controller Furloughs (4/25/2013)
A4A commended leadership in the U.S. Senate for passing a bill to halt air traffic controller furloughs that this week alone have delayed some 4,000 flights, impacting hundreds of thousands of customers.
A4A Statement on Current FAA-Imposed Flight Delays - April 24, 2013 (4/24/2013)
A4A issued a statement on current FAA-imposed flight delays.
A4A Seeks to Halt FAA Furloughs to Protect Passengers and Shippers (4/19/2013)
A4A today filed legal action to prevent the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from furloughing air traffic controllers and from implementing widespread ground stops that the agency reported would cause delays of up to four hours at major hub airports
A4A Commends Blunt Bill, Requiring the FAA to Identify and Maintain Federal Services Essential to Air Travel (4/15/2013)
A4A lauded a bill introduced today by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) that will enable federal employees, such as air traffic controllers, to continue to provide vital services despite the budget sequestration.
A4A Launches “Draw the Line Here” Campaign Calling on DHS to Drop Plan for Customs Preclearance Facility in Abu Dhabi (4/12/2013)
A4A today launched a campaign calling on the Department of Homeland Security to drop its plan to provide preclearance U.S. national security services at Abu Dhabi International Airport.
A4A Opposes Unprecedented Tax Hike on Airline Passengers in White House Budget Proposal (4/11/2013)
A4A announced its strong opposition to the FY2014 White House budget proposal, which seeks to offset the federal deficit by imposing billions of dollars in new and higher aviation taxes and fees on the backs of airlines and their customers.
A4A Says 2013 Airline Quality Rating Report Misses Key Customer Points (4/8/2013)
A4A says the 2013 Airline Quality Rating report by researchers at Wichita State University and Purdue University misses some key points.
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The U.S. aviation system is the largest and most extensive aviation system in the world.

What the Experts Say:
“Consumers have gotten a bargain deal for the last 30 years on travel. On an absolute (adjusted-for-inflation) basis, airfares are still...low.”


Hunter Keay, analyst, Wolfe Trahan & Co.

​Associated Press/Washington Post

07/23/2012
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