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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

A4A News Releases

News section: belly view of a plane flying overhead

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A4A regularly comments on behalf of its members when an issue or event arises that affects the entire U.S. airline industry. A4A responds to media inquiries on a variety of issues, including safety, security, maintenance, economics, operations, public affairs, legal and regulatory matters and legislative issues. This section includes an archive of A4A news releases and statements beginning in 2003.



A4A Says It’s “Major Madness” to Not Already Have NextGen in Place (4/1/2013)
A4A released it’s bracket for the 2013 NCAA® March Madness® tournament, noting that no matter which team ends up the champion, with a NextGen modernized air traffic control system in place, we all win.
Even With the Luck of the Irish, Airline Customers Continue to Pay a Lot of Green (3/15/2013)
A4A released an infographic highlighting the excessive tax burden imposed on its customers, including those travelers taking to the skies this weekend to attend St. Patrick’s Day celebrations across the nation.
A4A Commends International Civil Aviation Organization Committee on Environmental Work (2/14/2013)
A4A commended the ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection for developing a new aircraft noise standard and for reaching the second of three milestones in development of a first-of-its-kind carbon dioxide standard for new aircraft.
A4A Launches National Airline Policy Campaign to Help Ensure Global Competitiveness of U.S. Airline Industry (12/5/2012)
A4A launched a campaign for a National Airline Policy.
A4A Applauds Senate Passage of Bill that Enables U.S. Airlines to Refrain from Participation in the EU ETS (9/22/2012)
A4A today commended the Senate for passage of S. 1956, which would allow the Transportation Secretary to direct U.S. airlines to not participate in the EU ETS because it violates international law and U.S. sovereignty.
A4A Commends Senate Commerce Committee for EU ETS Bill Approval (7/31/2012)
A4A today commended the Senate Commerce Committee for approving a bill that would allow the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in the EU ETS because the scheme U.S. sovereignty and international law.
A4A Commends the U.S. Navy for its Ongoing Commitment to Biofuels, ‘Great Green Fleet’ Demonstration (7/19/2012)
A4A today commended the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its ongoing commitment to development and use of biofuels in its “Great Green Fleet” demonstration, which included flights powered by advanced biofuels.
A4A Commends International Civil Aviation Organization Committee on Aircraft Emissions Work (7/11/2012)
A4A today commended the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) for achieving a critical milestone in its work to develop a first-of-its-kind carbon dioxide (CO2) standard for new aircraft.
A4A Commends New U.S. Government Investment in Advanced Biofuels (7/2/2012)
A4A today commended the U.S. departments of Agriculture and Energy, and the Navy for announcing an investment of up to $30 million in a public-private partnership to produce commercial-scale advanced drop-in biofuels.
A4A Commends U.S. House for Taking Further Action to Protect U.S. Airlines and Their Passengers from Unlawful EU Emissions Trading Scheme (6/28/2012)
A4A today commended the U.S. House of Representatives and its leadership for taking further action last night to protect U.S. airlines and their customers from participating in the illegal EU ETS.
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A4A is a leading source for key aviation information.

What the Experts Say:
"A4A supports NextGen-related policies and procedures that will deliver immediate benefits to passengers and shippers from aircraft equipage investments that carriers have already made.”


Sharon Pinkerton, senior vice president of legislative and regulatory policy, A4A

A4A press release

08/17/2012
© 1995-2013 Airlines for America (A4A). All rights reserved.
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T: 202.626.4000 | E: a4a@airlines.org

For more information about the National Airline Policy campaign visit:
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