Article Operations 2 min read
Airlines for America Predicts Busy Summer for U.S. Airlines
After enduring a wet winter and sequestration delays, U.S. airlines can take heart in a Airlines for America’s prediction that more passengers will travel by plane this summer than a year ago.
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Flyers—including those headed to your annual meeting—should expect plenty of company at the airport this summer.
Customers continue to benefit from the proactive and collaborative approach the airlines are taking to prepare for and minimize travel disruptions.
More people will fly this summer than a year ago, according to a forecast by Airlines for America (A4A) (opens in a new tab), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines.
The association expects U.S. airlines will carry nearly 209 million passengers globally from June through August, an increase of 1 percent from the same period in 2012. It also predicts a record 27 million international passengers.
“As we enter the peak summer travel season, Airlines for America expects U.S. airlines to see modest year-over-year growth in both domestic and international travel, including an all-time high for passengers traveling internationally,” A4A Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich said in a statement. “It’s a great time to fly as airfares remain a bargain and airlines are delivering strong on-time performance.”
If the forecast is accurate, it will mark the largest summer volume for U.S. airlines since 2008, when more than 210 million traveled. The Los Angeles Times reports that the average plane will be roughly 87 percent full throughout the summer (opens in a new tab). A4A attributes the increase to rising household net worth and corporate profits, strong airline operational performance, and recent relief in energy prices.
“Customers continue to benefit from the proactive and collaborative approach the airlines are taking to prepare for and minimize travel disruptions,” Dan Elwell, A4A’s senior vice president of safety, security, and operations, said in a statement.
A4A also estimates that 600,000 airline customers were disrupted by 7,200 sequestration-related flight delays (opens in a new tab) in April. A USA Today report cites the wet winter as another reason airlines lost an estimated $50 million (opens in a new tab).
“Moisture in our business translates into delays, ground holds, and ground stops,” Elwell told USA Today. “Quite frankly, I think the numbers could have been worse.”
(iStockphoto/Thinkstock)
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