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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

 Environment - Additional Environmental Initiatives

Plane flying over a field

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>> Additional Environmental Initiatives
This section includes additional environmental information and related programs, including our members’ environmental management practices, fuel management, airline recycling programs, aircraft drinking water and more.

Fuel Management
While ATA airlines are motivated to prevent fuel releases for environmental protection reasons, this also makes good business sense, as fuel is the airlines’ number one cost center.


Aircraft Drinking Water
The core mission of the airline industry is to provide safe, affordable, and reliable air transportation services. This mission extends to providing clean, safe drinking water for passengers and employees.

 

Recycling - A Partnership Between Airlines, Airports and Communities
Our airlines’ commitment to continual environmental improvement extends to all areas, including expanding recycling programs throughout all of our operations.

 

Debunking Aviation’s Environmental Myths
The Air Transport Association (ATA) member airlines have an exceptional environmental track record that is often overlooked or misstated. Let's set the record straight.



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.
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 Commends Presidential Signature of Bipartisan Bill Rejecting Illegal EU ETS Scheme (11/27/2012)
A4A commended President Obama for signing S. 1956, a bipartisan measure that allows the Transportation Secretary to direct U.S. airlines not to participate in the EU ETS.
Coalition Letter to the U.S. House of Representatives to Strongly Urge Support and Passage of S. 1956 (11/13/2012)
A4A joins this coalition to urge the House to support and pass S. 1956, which allows the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit U.S. aviation operators from complying with the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme.
A4A Lauds House Passage of Bill That Allows U.S. Airlines to Avoid Illegal EU ETS Aviation Scheme (11/13/2012)
A4A commended the House of Representatives for approving the Senate-passed S. 1956, a measure that allows the Transportation Secretary to direct U.S. airlines not to participate in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)
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.
Coalition of Aviation Stakeholders Encourages the President to Challenge the EU ETS By Initiating an Article 84 Proceeding (9/17/2012)
A4A joins this coalition to urge President Obama to initiate an Article 84 in the International Civil Aviation Organization. Standing up against this scheme on U.S. airlines is necessary to protect U.S. sovereignty and jobs.
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.
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A4A supports a truly comprehensive, meaningfully balanced U.S. energy policy and is committed to protecting our planet.

Related Links
Air Transport Action Group (ATAG)
CAAFI
FAA Environment and Energy R&D
Airline Handbook Chapter 10: Energy and Environmental Matters
What the Experts Say:
“Even a country that believes in [the cap-and-trade systems to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions] domestically believes the right way to go is to oppose the extraterritoriality of the ETS.”


Nancy Young, vice president of environmental affairs, A4A

​Aviation Daily

08/22/2012
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