ATA Letter to House Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee Addressing Registered Traveler

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

	ATA Letter to House Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee Addressing Registered Traveler
	PubZone1 July 31, 2007 The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Committee on Homeland Security 2435 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Madam Chairwoman: Our understanding is that today’s House Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing, “Managing Risk and Increasing Efficiency: An Examination of the Implementation of the Registered Traveler program” is not a referendum on the Registered Traveler (RT) program. However, you are likely to hear a great deal of rhetoric from the private-sector witnesses suggesting that the RT program will provide great benefits to travelers once the government takes the shackles off the program. We beg to differ. While we believed that a Registered Traveler program may have been valuable immediately after 9/11, enhancements to passenger security screening have significantly diminished any potential value the program may have had. Simply put, checkpoint screening has improved to the point that a continued investment of limited government resources in RT is no longer advisable. The RT program is more of a revenue-generating scheme for vendors and airport participants than a security program that benefits passengers. Indeed, it may result in more passenger inconvenience. We are concerned that modifications to existing passenger screening procedures to accommodate RT will result in a less efficient process at security checkpoints that would negatively impact the overall level of security. Such an outcome would be detrimental to the traveling public. Instead of expending additional government resources to support RT, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should direct the resources toward improving the checkpoint efficiency for all passengers, not just those willing to pay yet another fee. Additional concerns have risen with the passage of time. Chief among these is the issue of liability. If something goes wrong, what will be the liability of entities that do not support the program, such as airlines, certain airports, as well as service providers and those vendors that provide registered traveler services? Regardless of the particulars of the program as outlined by TSA, in light of the comprehensive aviation security system created by Congress after 9/11, does the existence of the RT program mean that the private sector is assuming a role which may generate significant unforeseen legal exposures? Thank you for your consideration of our views on this program. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Sincerely, James C. May President and CEO PubZone2	A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.