ATA forecasts 7% drop in US travel

Weak economic conditions will lead to a sharp seven per cent drop in travel on US airlines for the summer vacation season, an industry group said yesterday.

The Air Transport Association (ATA) said this will translate into 14 million fewer passengers in the period from June through August, compared with last year. Some 195 million passengers are expected to fly this summer on US airlines, down from 209 million during the summer months of 2008.

This will represent a 7.0 per cent drop in domestic travel and a 6.0 per cent drop in international travel. "The main driver behind the anticipated drop in passengers travelling this summer is the ongoing global recession, which continues to crimp demand," said ATA President and Chief Executive James May.

"The weak economy has forced additional aircraft out of the marketplace, so despite fewer travellers, planes will remain near full.

"Even with fewer flights and the airlines' heightened level of preparedness for summer travel, we remain concerned that delays may be inevitable due to the combination of an aging air traffic control system and convective weather period."

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