Economics & Energy

Annual Economic Reports of the U.S. Airline Industry

Click on "2009" in the table below to access the 2009 ATA Economic Report, your definitive source for economic and statistical information about the U.S. passenger and cargo airline industry for calendar year 2008. The ATA Economic Report highlights facts and figures drawn from all areas of the U.S. airline industry, including operational and financial results for cargo and passenger airlines. The electronic version is free, and hard copies may be purchased via Publications.

Evolution: A New Vision for Moving America

From $99.64 to $87.16 – and then from $145.29 to $33.87 – what a wild ride the price of a barrel of crude oil took through the course of 2008. On the way up, in just 103 days of trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), the price of crude soared 67 percent (more than $58 per barrel) to its July 3 peak, followed immediately by a precipitous 77 percent decline (more than $111) in just 118 days of trading. That remarkable, unprecedented volatility carried through to jet fuel prices, whose daily average incredibly spanned $2.96 per gallon, ranging from a low of $1.26 to a high of $4.26. The industry’s already largest cost center also became its most volatile with a 235 percent fluctuation in the span of a year.

he consequences of the industry’s staggering $58 billion fuel tab were pronounced and widespread, taking a heavy toll on airline workers, investors, customers and communities. Sadly, some 28,000 pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, ramp workers, gate agents, reservation sales and service representatives, and office workers lost their jobs while communities across the country lost air service. By the end of 2008, the U.S. airline industry was markedly smaller and financially weaker, incurring a net loss of $9 billion to $24 billion, depending on which “one-time” charges or gains were included.

Historical Editions

Download free reports by clicking the desired year below or purchase hard copies from Publications. Note: All PDF editions prior to 2001 were scanned from hard-copy originals, resulting in large file sizes.

NONE 1937 NONE
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 NONE 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Last Modified: 1/13/2010

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