Fri, Dec 12, 2008
Capacity Reduction Means Fuller Planes, Fewer Seats
The Air Transport Association is
forecasting a 9 percent year-over-year decrease in the number of
passengers who will travel globally on US airlines during the
21-day winter holiday travel season, spanning Thursday December 18,
2008, through Wednesday, January 7, 2009.) The number of available
seats has also declined 9 percent from the same period a year ago,
which should result in full or near-full flights throughout the
holiday.
"While planes will be at or near capacity over the winter
holiday travel period, the US airline industry will see a decline
in the total number of passengers this travel season," said ATA
President and CEO James C. May. "The decline is driven primarily by
an extremely fragile economy and falling global demand for
travel."
May added US airlines will carry approximately 2 million
passengers per day over the 21-day period, with the busiest days
expected to be Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 27. On
these days, ATA estimates that planes will average 90 percent
full.
ATA Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich observed,
"All signs suggest that the schedule cuts prompted by high fuel
prices in 2008 will deepen in 2009, primarily due to the rapidly
deteriorating economic environment and the volatility of the
industry's cost of operations."
ATA, once again, is calling for full cooperation with the
federal government and airports to ease system congestion during
the holiday travel season.
"We are pleased that the industry has achieved significant
improvements in on-time operations and in improving the customer
experience," said May. "Carriers continue to work internally and
with government to find ways to further reduce delays, especially
over the holidays."
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