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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 Testimony

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As the trade association for America's leading cargo and passenger airlines, A4A is called on frequently by Congress to testify. A4A testifies before Congressional committees on behalf of the industry A4A oral and written testimonies on behalf of its members can be found in this section (The oral delivery may have varied slightly from the written text and the content of these statements was current at the time that they were prepared. However, information in them may have changed with the passage of time). Upcoming hearings are also included.

ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on the FAA Financing Proposal (3/21/2007)
Testimony on the FAA's Financing Proposal.
ATA Testimony by President and CEO Jim May before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Aviation Operations Subcommittee on FAA Reauthorization (3/8/2007)
Testimony on the Administration's proposal to reauthorize the FAA Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
ATA Testimony by VP and Chief Economist John Heimlich before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on the Impact of High Jet Fuel Prices (2/15/2006)
VP and Chief Economist John Heimlich Testifies about the Impact of High Jet Fuel Prices House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation
ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on Airport and Airways Trust Fund Reauthorization (5/4/2005)
Statement from President & CEO Jim May on the Airport and Airways Trust Fund Reauthorization House Transportation & Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee
ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the Senaate Commerce Committee on Proposed FY2006 TSA Budget (4/26/2005)
Statement from James C. May on the Proposed FY2006 TSA Budget Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
ATA Testimony before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on Airport Deregulation (4/1/2004)
Statement from ATA Concerning Airport Deregulation House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee

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A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.

What the Experts Say:
“Urgent, concrete action by the United States is needed to overturn the EU ETS and bring the EU back to the negotiating table in support of a global framework. The United States, in its role as a world leader, must wield the tools it has to remove the wrong measure in favor of the right one.”
Nancy Young, vice president of environmental affairs, A4A, A4A

​A4A Press Release

06/06/2012
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T: 202.626.4000 | E: a4a@airlines.org

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