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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

 Public Policy Agency Filings

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PubZone1
A4A frequently participates in rulemaking and other regulatory proceedings affecting the airline industry. A4A public filings to regulatory agencies are included here.

ATA Comments on the United Kingdom’s Air Passenger Duty Proposal (6/17/2011)
ATA comments to the United Kingdom’s air passenger duty proposal.
ATA Comments on DOT’s Second Passenger Protection NPRM (9/23/2010)
The Air Transport Association filed comments on September 23, 2010, in response to the Department of Transportation’s second NPRM to enhance airline passenger consumer protections.
ATA Comments on DOT’s Passenger Protection NPRM (3/13/2009)
The Air Transport Association of America, Inc. filed comments on March 9, 2009, in response to the Department of Transportation NPRM concerning potential actions to enhance national airline passenger protections. ATA members share the Department’s goal...
ATA Comments on Proposed Slot Auction Procedures (10/2/2008)
ATA Comments on Proposed Slot Auction Procedures
ATA Comments on the DHS US-VISIT Exit NPRM (6/23/2008)
ATA comments oppose the DHS proposed rule to implement the US-VISIT Exit program. ATA’s comments explain in detail why DHS does not have the legal authority to impose this program on the airline industry and why it fails to meet basic cost-benefit stan...
ATA Comments on DOT Gate Reporting NPRM (1/22/2008)
ATA filed comments in response to the DOT ANPRM concerning enhancing national airline passenger protections.
Department of Transportation Petition (10/11/2007)
The Air Transport Association and the Air Carrier Association of America, on behalf of themselves and their passenger and cargo member airlines, request DOT to exercise its authority and declare that new "privilege fee" imposed by the Township of Tinic...
ATA Joins Fight Against LAX Fee Increases (5/3/2007)
Because LAX is limited by statutory and regulatory restrictions, ATA's brief in this DOT case disputes LAX's claim that it cannot act like a commercial landlord and unilaterally impose so-called market rents for essential terminal facilities.
ATA Files Comments on Pandemic Flu Vaccine Prioritization (1/17/2007)
In response to an HHS request for information, ATA filed brief comments on the development of guidance for prioritization of pandemic influenza vaccine as it relates to the aviation sector.
ATA Position on LaGuardia Interim Order (10/16/2006)
ATA filed comments on FAA's proposed Interim Order for LaGuardia Airport, which was intended to provide a transition from the high-density rule (set to expire after January 1, 2007) to a future regulation governing allocation of capacity at the airport.

PubZone2
A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.

What the Experts Say:
“Hard-hour minimum requirements are not a substitute for the quality of a pilot’s training and experience… A4A carriers have an exemplary safety record and engage in continuous improvements in safety and training and the A4A supports raising pilot qualification requirements, but not to the extent of the NPRM which we believe will reduce the quality of the pilot force rather than enhance it."

A4A ,

​A4A press release

05/01/2012
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