Forecast Reports Seventh Consecutive Year of Aviation Growth
;WASHINGTON -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater announced today that the nation's air carriers, braced by one of the strongest economies on record, have experienced seven straight years of traffic growth, with a record 643.3 million people traveling on U.S. commercial airlines in 1998. According to figures released today, this trend will continue, with the number of air travelers increasing to almost one billion in 2010. ;"Safety is President Clinton's highest transportation priority, and this administration is determined to provide the programs and policies to further enhance both the safety and efficiency of our air transportation system," said Slater. "The economic figures we are releasing today are a positive report card on our effort to ensure that Americans have access to safe, affordable and efficient air travel." ;FAA Administration Jane F. Garvey said, "The outstanding growth in aviation is even more encouraging when you consider that there were no major air carrier accidents last year. As air travel continues to grow, the FAA is determined to ensure that Americans can continue to rely on the safest, most secure and efficient airspace in the world." ;The announcement came as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its report FAA Aerospace Forecasts Fiscal Years 1999-2010. The report shows that domestic enplanements (passenger boardings - Editor) increased by 2.1 percent in 1998, while international enplanements in the Atlantic and Latin American regions had significant gains. Traffic in the Atlantic region increased 9.2 percent, while traffic on Latin American routes grew by 5 percent. In addition, U.S. commercial air carriers reported an operating profit of $9.2 billion, a $1.3 billion improvement over 1997. Despite relatively slow increases in Asia, overall U.S. air carrier international enplanements are forecast to increase to 56 million in 1999 and grow 5.7 percent a year, reaching 103.1 million in 2010. ;The FAA forecast provides extensive historical data and forecasts for the period 1999 through 2010 for large U.S. commercial air carriers, the nation's regional/commuter airlines, general aviation, and the military. For the first time, the report includes forecasts for commercial space transportation, Canadian transborder traffic, and cargo airlines. ;The number of domestic passengers traveling on commercial air carriers is expected to increase to 567.9 million in 1999, a 2.4 percent increase over 1998. For the period 1998 through 2010, passengers are forecast to increase 3.4 percent a year, reaching 828 million in 2010. To accommodate this expansion, the FAA forecasts that the large commercial aircraft fleet will increase from 5,030 in 1998 to 7,165 aircraft in 2010, an annual increase of 3 percent. ;Paralleling the increase in domestic air traffic, the number of passengers on U.S. and foreign flag carriers traveling to or from the United States are expected to increase to 132.2 million in 1999, a 4.8 percent increase over 1998. This growth is expected to continue at a 5.1 percent rate each year and reach 230.2 million in 2010. U.S. air carrier international enplanements are forecast to increase to 56 million in 1999 and grow by 5.7 a year, reaching 103.1 million in 2010. ;Outpacing the large air carriers, commuter airline enplanements are forecast to increase to 71 million in 1999, a 7.4 percent increase over 1998. Enplanements are expected to increase by 5.4 percent each year, reaching 123.8 million in 2010. In addition, the commuter passenger fleet is expected to increase from 2,039 aircraft last year to 2,886 aircraft in 2010, an annual increase of 2.9 percent, and the regional jet fleet from 206 aircraft in 1998 to 1,195 in 2010, an annual 15.8 percent increase. ;The general aviation industry is picking up. In 1998, the industry had the highest number of shipments since 1994 -- 2,223 units, up from 1,159 units in 1997. The general aviation fleet is expected to increase from 194,800 in 1998, to 220,800 in 2010, a 1 percent yearly increase. The turboprop/turbojet fleet, the fastest growing segment, is forecast to increase 2.7 percent annually. ;It is projected that aircraft operations handled at combined FAA and contract tower airports will increase from 50.9 million in 1999 to 63.9 million in 2010, an annual increase of 2.1 percent. To meet increasingly crowded skies, the agency last year advanced a focused safety agenda to reduce the rate of aviation accidents by 80 percent. In addition, the FAA has launched an aggressive air traffic modernization program that is expected to be fully implemented over the next decade.
-ends-
Forecast Reports Seventh Consecutive Year of Aviation Growth
