May 11, 2000 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Growth in air transport jobs

Growth in air transport employment exceeded growth in total nonfarm employment in 13 of the 19 years between 1978 and 1996. There is a striking difference in the pattern before and after 1990.

Percent change in air transport employment and in total nonfarm employment, 1978-96
[Chart data—TXT]

From 1978 to 1990, jobs in air transport grew faster than the average in 11 of the 13 years. Then from 1991 to 1996, the pace of growth was faster in air transport in only two of the six years.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program. To find out more about air transport employment, see "Transportation by air: job growth moderates from stellar rates" by William Goodman, Monthly Labor Review, March 2000.

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