Aviation Industry Endorses Mr. Duane Woerth as Permanent Representative to the United Nations ICAO in Letter to Senate Leadership

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

	Aviation Industry Endorses Mr. Duane Woerth as Permanent Representative to the United Nations ICAO in Letter to Senate Leadership
	PubZone1 September 21, 2010 The Honorable Harry Reid Majority Leader United States Senate 522 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Mitch McConnell Minority Leader United States Senate 361-A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Reid and Senator McConnell: We are writing to ask for your immediate assistance on a critical issue for U.S. leadership in civil aviation. We urgently request that you ensure Senate consideration of the nomination of Mr. Duane Woerth as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as soon as possible. The Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote favorably on his nomination today. There currently is no U.S. Permanent Representative for the upcoming ICAO triennial General Assembly, which will convene on September 28, 2010. This Assembly will determine global actions and priorities in the areas of aviation safety, security and environment. We believe the United States has been disadvantaged by the lack of a Permanent Representative at ICAO over the past 18 months. During that time, ICAO has hosted a number of high level events in aviation safety, security and environmental matters, and the absence of a U.S. Permanent Representative has made it difficult to secure multilateral agreements on positions favorable to our interests. In addition, there are ongoing efforts by both the European Union and other regional blocs to advance their priorities for ICAO prior to the Assembly. We share a growing concern that the U.S. ability to impact those outcomes will be compromised, especially as they affect votes within ICAO, on the budget or other issues that impact international aviation. President Obama nominated Mr. Woerth for this position on July 1, 2010. We viewed this nomination as a positive sign of the Administration’s commitment to U.S. leadership within the United Nations and the global aerospace industry. Mr. Woerth has the background, capabilities and interest to help influence ICAO as we transform aviation in the United States and move toward the next generation of air traffic management. We need to ensure that the international aviation community is able to harmonize their systems and benefit from our efforts. As a former military and commercial pilot with extensive experience in the aviation industry, Mr. Woerth is uniquely equipped for these challenges. We respectfully request your intervention and support for this nomination and request that Mr. Woerth be confirmed quickly to ensure his participation in this important upcoming General Assembly meeting. Sincerely, Aerospace Industries Association Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Line Pilots Association, International Air Transport Association Airports Council International American Association of Airport Executives Association of Flight Attendants – CWA Cargo Airline Association General Aviation Manufacturers Association National Air Traffic Controllers Association National Air Transportation Association National Business Aviation Association Regional Airline Association PubZone2	A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.