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.

A4A Testimony by Tom Hendricks, SVP for Safety, Security and Operations Before the Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Senate Appropriations Committee (3/21/2012)
A4A emphasized the importance of travel to the U.S. economy, urging the adoption of a national travel-and-tourism strategy including visa reform, expansion of the Visa Waiver Program and TSA’s PreCheck program and increased CBP staffing at major airports.

ATA CEO Nick Calio Testifies before the Senate on the Reauthorization of the TSA (7/12/2011)
ATA supports and strives for a secure aviation system to benefits all Americans. Effective, efficient security is vital to a robust and financially sound U.S. airline industry, making aviation security a core homeland security function.

ATA Testimony by John Meenan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, before the Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection of the House Committee on Homeland Security on 100% Air Cargo Screening (6/30/2010)
ATA testifies before the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection on the airlines' progress in achieving 100 percent screening of cargo transported on passenger-carrying aircraft by August 2010.

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 EVP and COO John Meenan before the House T&I Aviation Subcommittee on the 9/11 Commission Report (8/25/2009)
Statement from ATA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Meenan on the Sept 11 Commission Report House Transportation and Infrastructure Aviation Subcommittee

ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House Homeland Security Transportation Security Subcommittee on 100 Precent Cargo Screening (3/17/2009)
The airline industry has fulfilled the interim requirement that 50 percent of cargo be screened by February 2009 and reaffirm their commitment to achieve 100 percent by 2010. However, this goal requires the continued close collaboration...

ATA Testimony by EVP and COO John Meenan Before House Homeland Security Subcommittee On Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection on the critical issues associated with aviation security "watch lists." (9/9/2008)
Statement on the critical issues associated with aviation security "watch lists."

ATA Testimony by EVPand COO John Meenan Before House Homeland Security Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee on Implementing Recommendations of the 9-11 Commission Act of 2007 (7/15/2008)
ATA testimony on the industry's commitment to meeting cargo screening requirements and to outline a few concerns.

ATA Testimony Submitted to the House Homeland Security Transportation Security Subcommittee on the Registered Traveler Program (7/31/2007)
Submitted Statement of ATA on Managing Risk and Increasing Efficiency: An Examination of the Implementation of the Registered Traveler Program House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection.

ATA Testimony by CEO Jim May before the House Homeland Security Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee on the U.S. VISIT-Exit Program (6/28/2007)
President and CEO Jim May testifies on the Department of Homeland Security's US-VISIT/Exit program before the House Border, Maritime and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee of the Committee on Homeland Security.

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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