Even With the Luck of the Irish, Airline Customers Continue to Pay a Lot of Green

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

	Even With the Luck of the Irish, Airline Customers Continue to Pay a Lot of Green
	PubZone1 Airlines for America Highlights the Pot of Gold that Goes to Washington with Every Ticket Purchased in New Infographic WASHINGTON, March 15, 2013 – Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today released an infographic highlighting the excessive tax burden imposed on its customers, including those travelers taking to the skies this weekend to attend St. Patrick’s Day celebrations across the nation. This weekend, millions of Americans will wear the Celtic crown, touting their love affair with all things Ireland and its majesty, and even with all the luck of the Irish, passengers are still paying a lot of green toward their airfare taxes. The U.S. aviation industry is subjected to 17 different taxes, with approximately 20 percent – or $61 – of a typical $300 roundtrip domestic ticket going directly to Washington, D.C. That’s like paying for a green beer that’s 20 percent foam, and something consumers across the country would refer to as blarney. In fact, federal tax rates on air travel exceed those of alcohol and tobacco sales, the so-called “sin” products that are taxed at the highest levels to discourage their use. That’s why this St. Patrick’s Day weekend, A4A is renewing its call for a National Airline Policy that will help reduce these taxes and ensure ticket prices remain affordable for both consumers and businesses, so travelers can keep more of their green bucks in their back pockets. A4A’s proposed policy includes the following key points: Reduces taxes and fees on airfares so travelers and shippers can keep their pockets greener. Reforms antiquated regulations that add unnecessary costs and do not benefit customers or safety. Modernizes the nation’s Air Traffic Control System to reduce delays and emissions at the top o’ the skies. Levels the playing field to allow for a globally competitive U.S. airline industry (like offering more services and routes to Ireland!) Stabilizes energy prices through a balanced and comprehensive national energy policy. Learn more by following the National Airline Policy campaign on Facebook at facebook.com/nationalairlinepolicy, Twitter at twitter.com/natl_air_policy and Google+ at http://bit.ly/Xi4PGg, and sign the petition at http://nationalairlinepolicy.com/. 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 National Airline Policy campaign visit http://www.nationalairlinepolicy.com/. Twitter: twitter.com/natl_air_policy Facebook: facebook.com/nationalairlinepolicy For more information about the airline industry, visit www.airlines.org and follow us on Twitter @airlinesdotorg. # # # PubZone2	A4A is a leading source for key aviation information.