DOT Figures Show Airline Passenger Traffic Up
Published on modernagent: September 14, 2007
U.S. airlines carried 379.5 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems during the first six months of 2007, 2.7 percent more than they did during the same period in 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported in a release of preliminary data. BTS, a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that U.S. airlines carried 2.5 percent more domestic passengers and 3.9 percent more international passengers during the first six months of 2007 than during the same period in 2006. These passengers traveled on planes with average load factors exceeding 79.1 percent.
In June, the most recent month, U.S. airlines carried 69.5 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 3.4 percent more than in June 2006. The number of domestic passengers increased 3.4 percent in June from a year earlier and international passengers increased 3.3 percent. All-time high load factors were reached in June for combined domestic and international system flights and for domestic flights. The June system load factor for domestic and international flights was 85.8, topping the previous high of 85.0 in July 2006. The June load factor for domestic flights was 86.4, exceeding the previous high of 84.9 in July 2006.
Southwest Airlines carried more total system and more domestic passengers in the first six months than any other U.S. airline. American Airlines carried more international passengers than any U.S. carrier. More total system and domestic passengers boarded planes in the first six months at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport; and more international passengers boarded planes on U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport. U.S. carriers operated 5.2 million domestic and international flights in the first six months of 2007, 1.1 percent more than were operated during the same period in 2006. U.S. airlines carried 334.9 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first six months of 2007, up 2.5 percent from the 326.8 million carried during the same period in 2006. U.S. airlines carried 44.5 million scheduled international passengers during the first six months of 2007, up 3.9 percent from the 42.8 million carried during the same period in 2006.
