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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 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

News Testimony

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As the trade association for America's leading cargo and passenger airlines, A4A is called on frequently by Congress to testify. A4A testifies before Congressional committees on behalf of the industry. A4A oral and written testimonies on behalf of its members can be found in this section (The oral delivery may have varied slightly from the written text and the content of these statements was current at the time that they were prepared). Upcoming hearings are also included.

ATA Testimony by Senior Vice President of Safety, Security and Operations Before the House Transportation and InfrastructurInfrastructure Committee, Aviation Subcommittee on GPS Reliability (6/23/2011)
ATA testifies before the House Aviation and Coast Guard and Maritime Subcommittees on GPS as a critical element of aviation technologies and harms from potential disruptions to that technology.
ATA Testimony by Vice President of Operations and Safety Thomas L. Hendricks Before House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Aviation Subcommittee on the Pilot Flight-and-Duty-Time Rule (9/16/2010)
ATA and its member airlines are committee to utilizing the best scientific research and operational experience in devising new regulatory initiatives to improve pilot duty time and fatigue management
ATA Testimony by President and CEO Jim May Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies on Aviation Stakeholder Priorities for Maintaining a Safe and Viable Aviation System (3/18/2010)
ATA testifies before the House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee to bring members up-to-date on the airline industry including: changes in industry dynamics, priorities and challenges, and what committee leadership can do to help the industry.
ATA Testimony by VP, Operations and Safety Basil Barimo before Senate Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee on Pilot Duty Time and Fatigue Management (12/1/2009)
ATA members are committed to using the best science available combined with proven operational experience to improve pilot duty time and fatigue management.
ATA Testimony by Vice President Basil Barimo before the House Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee on Repair Station Security (11/18/2009)
ATA U.S. airline members have logged an exceptional safety record while expanding their use of contract maintenance. Independent government figures do not support the conclusion that maintenance contracting compromises security or safety in any way.
ATA Testimony by Jim Casey before the House Railroads Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee on the Lithium Battery Rulemaking Process (11/16/2009)
ATA testifies about the importance of the rulemaking process to regulate air transportation of lithium batteries and electronic devices. Specifically, ATA opposes Section 201 of HR 4016 and believes the matter should be resolved through rule making.
ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on NextGen (10/28/2009)
ATA and the airline industry commend the NextGen Task Force for laying out specific areas for FAA to focus on to ensure the benefits of modernization are realized.
ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on FAA’s “Call to Action” in Response to the Buffalo Accident (9/23/2009)
The airline industry continues to work diligently to respond to the FAA’s “Call to Action” in response to the Buffalo accident. ATA members have achieved an extraordinary safety record, and it continues to be our top priority.
ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the Senate Aviation Subcommittee on The Role and Responsibility of Commercial Air Carriers and Employees in Aviation Safety (6/17/2009)
The airline industry is working diligently to evaluate and respond to the results of the NTSB investigation of the Buffalo accident and the Inspector General's assessment of the FAA regulatory oversight program.
ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on Regional Air Carriers and Pilot Workforce Issues (6/11/2009)
ATA testimony on the role and responsibility of commercial air carriers and employees in aviation safety.
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A4A is a leading source for key aviation information.

What the Experts Say:
“Urgent, concrete action by the United States is needed to overturn the EU ETS and bring the EU back to the negotiating table in support of a global framework. The United States, in its role as a world leader, must wield the tools it has to remove the wrong measure in favor of the right one.”
Nancy Young, vice president of environmental affairs, A4A, A4A

​A4A Press Release

06/06/2012
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