2015 Spring Air Travel to be Highest in 7 Years
Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, recently released its 2015 spring air travel forecast and 2014 results for U.S. passenger airlines, which delivered another year of strong operational performance and modest profitability.
A4A projects spring 2015 air travel to rise to its highest level in seven years, with passenger volumes expected to fall just below the 2007 peak. Approximately 134.8 million passengers (2.2 million per day) are expected to fly on U.S. airlines during March and April compared to 132.2 million passengers in 2014 – a 2 percent or 43,000 passengers a day increase. This includes a record 17.2 million travelers (283,000 per day) on international flights. To accommodate the expected growth in demand, airlines are increasing the number of seats by 3 percent or 64,000 seats per day during this period.
“A4A attributes the increase in spring air travel to rising U.S. employment and personal incomes, an improving economy, the highest consumer sentiment in a decade and the continued affordability of air travel, which remains one of the best bargains for consumers,” said John Heimlich, A4A Vice President and Chief Economist. “To meet the extra demand, airlines are adding seats to the marketplace, in part by deploying new and larger aircraft on many routes.”
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