US Federal Aviation Administration has released its annual airline traffic forecast, predicting that air travel will more than double in the US over next 20 years. The FAA 20-year forecast predicts passenger numbers on US airlines will rise by 3.5% from 2010 to 737.4 million passengers in 2011. That figure is projected to grow an average of 2.8% each year during the remaining forecast period to 1.3 billion by 2031.
FAA forecast for passenger enplanements by region for US mainline carriers:
FY2011:
- Domestic: +2.8%;
- International: +7.9%;
- Atlantic: +8.7%;
- Latin America: +7.5%;
- Asia Pacific: +7.9%;
- System: +3.5%
Passenger real yield for US Mainline air carriers:
- FY2011:
- Domestic: +2%;
- International: +5%.
US-listed carriers traded strongly on Tuesday, with American Airlines and Republic Airways leading shares in passenger airlines. Atlas Air shares gained 7.3%, after the cargo carrier's better-than-forecast December quarter financial results. FedEx was 2.3% stronger.
Selected AAD daily share price movements (% change): 15-Feb-2011
