A4A Opposes TSA Tax Hike, Calling it a Lose-Lose for Passengers, Airlines and the Economy

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 13%
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 Opposes TSA Tax Hike, Calling it a Lose-Lose for Passengers, Airlines and the Economy
	PubZone1 Supports Call for Efficiency Improvements WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013– Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today supported calls for efficiency improvements within the TSA, while strongly urging House Republicans not to punish passengers, shippers and airlines by doubling the TSA passenger security tax in their budget proposal. “Air travel today is already taxed at a federal rate higher than those for alcohol and tobacco, products that are taxed to discourage their use. It’s illogical that the House Republican budget would single out the airline industry for a tax hike that Congress has rejected on five previous occasions – it’s a lose-lose for passengers, airlines and the economy,” said A4A President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio. “As partners with the TSA, we are fully supportive of risk-based measures and agree greater efficiencies can be achieved while improving safety and the customer experience. A4A commends Chairman Ryan and his Republican colleagues for recognizing that TSA’s cost efficiency goals can be met while maintaining the highest passenger and baggage screening standards – which is a key component in ensuring aviation security around the world.” Calio noted that TSA's budget has increased by 18 percent since 2007, yet passenger traffic has decreased over that time. Language included in the House Republican budget proposal notes this as well, but despite that, still suggests increasing TSA taxes from $2.50 to $5 per flight, costing airline passengers more than $730 million annually in addition to the $2.3 billion already paid today. A4A believes full implementation of programs that take a risk-based approach to security, such as TSA PreCheck for passengers and Known Crewmember for pilots and flight attendants will enhance security and screening efficiency and are a more appropriate way to help drive down TSA operating costs. ABOUT A4A Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and more than 10 million U.S. jobs. A4A airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. America needs a cohesive National Airline Policy that will support the integral role the nation’s airlines play in connecting people and goods globally, spur the nation’s economic growth and create more high-paying jobs. For more information about the airline industry, visit www.airlines.org and follow us on Twitter @airlinesdotorg. For more information about the National Airline Policy campaign visit: www.nationalairlinepolicy.com, Twitter: @Natl_Air_Policy and Facebook: facebook.com/nationalairlinepolicy. # # # PubZone2	A4A is a leading source for key aviation information.