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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 Court Filings

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PubZone1
​A4A participates as a litigant or amicus curiae in litigation matters concerning a wider range of legal and regulatory issues having a significant policy or precedential impact on the industry. In this section, you will find A4A briefs and other filings in these important cases.

A4A EU ETS Lawsuit Defines Clear Path for Government Action (3/27/2012)
A4A today appropriately ended its private lawsuit against the EU ETS and urged the administration to accelerate its work to reverse this unilateral tax.
A4A Legal Challenge of German Departure Tax (3/21/2012)
A4A today filed an initial legal complaint to reject the German Air Transport Tax, which illegally penalizes carriers serving the country by taxing U.S. airlines the maximum amount of 45 euros (US$59) per passenger.
A4A Commends DOT Secretary LaHood for Leadership In Fighting the EU ETS (3/9/2012)
A4A today commended DOT Secretary Ray LaHood for his unwavering support and efforts to overturn the application of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to U.S. airlines and aircraft operators.
A4A Commends Bipartisan Support of Senate EU ETS Bill (3/7/2012)
A4A today commended Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) for co-sponsoring a bill that would prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in EU ETS because the scheme violates U.S. sovereignty and international law.
A4A Comment on European Court of Justice Decision (12/21/2011)
A4A today issued the following statement regarding the decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on A4A’s legal challenge to the unilateral application of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) to international aviation.
Airlines for America (A4A) Commends Senate Opposition of EU ETS (12/7/2011)
A4A today commended Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) for introducing a bill that would prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).
ATA v. Ex-Im Bank (11/18/2011)
ATA today filed suit against the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) to halt a pending deal for $3.4 billion in loan guarantees for aircraft financing to Air India.
ATA Supports Bill to Improve U.S. Visa Process (9/26/2011)
ATA commended Congressman Joe Heck (R-NV) for his work in making travel to the United States easier.
ATA challenges the application of the EU ETS to U.S. Airlines (6/17/2011)
ATA and three of its member airlines filed a legal action challenging the first stage of the UK Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations. The Q&A explains why ATA initiated this legal action and answers some frequently asked questions.
ATA v. NMB (5/12/2011)
ATA’s opening brief on appeal of the NMB rule allowing representation elections to be decided by a majority of voters instead of a majority of the class or craft. The NMB’s rule violates the RLA and changes 75 years of history without...
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PubZone2
A4A advocates measures to support aviation safety, security and well-being.

What the Experts Say:
“We appreciate the hard work of Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Democratic House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, who negotiated a bipartisan agreement that ensures increased transparency in the Ex-Im Bank’s lending practices, and calls for greater economic impact analysis of loans and would implement other important reforms, and we urge passage of the agreement.”
Nicholas E. Calio, president and CEO, A4A

​A4A press release

05/05/2012
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T: 202.626.4000 | E: a4a@airlines.org

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