Air Transport Association Says Aviation Committed to Fuel Efficiency and CO2 Reduction Improvements; Wants to be Treated Under Global Sectoral Approach

The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today issued the following statement in response to the release of the climate change legislation sponsored by Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman:

“ATA is in the process of conducting a thorough review of the bill. It is important to recognize that the U.S. airline industry has adopted a set of targets and measures as part of the worldwide aviation industry commitment to a global sectoral approach on aviation emissions. Through this, the U.S. airlines alone will save more than 16 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through 2050 on top of substantial savings already achieved,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May. “We trust that if Congress pursues this legislation, it will adopt this approach versus imposing punitive industry and passenger taxes.”

Annually, commercial aviation helps drive more than $1 trillion in U.S. economic activity and nearly 11 million U.S. jobs. On a daily basis, U.S. airlines operate approximately 25,000 flights in 80 countries, using more than 6,000 aircraft to carry an average of two million passengers and 30,000 tons of cargo. ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information, visit www.airlines.org.